A National Pet Identification System to Combat Abandonment

The Ministry of Social Rights, in collaboration with regional governments and professionals such as veterinarians, is designing a unique pet identification system for the entire country. This system could become a crucial tool to end the abandonment of tens of thousands of pets each year.

The Secretary of State for Social Rights announced today, following a meeting with the Spanish Network for Pet Identification (Reiac), that the national system will be established through a royal decree. This decree, currently under discussion with regional ministries, will provide a unified and consistent regulation for pet identification across the country. According to the law, pets such as dogs, cats, and ferrets must be properly identified, and the decree will specify how this should be done. Rosa Martínez stated that the future regulation will designate veterinarians as the only professionals authorized to identify pets.

The implementation of the new national system could be a vital tool to ensure compliance with most of the objectives of the animal welfare law. These objectives include the prohibition and punishment of pet abandonment, the restriction of breeding, and the control of pet diseases. Additionally, it would be effective in locating lost pets anywhere in Spain.

According to the Secretary of State, the royal decree should lay the foundations for a pet identification and traceability system. This will allow regional governments to establish identification mechanisms and registries based on common basic criteria nationwide. "This will be fundamental to minimize the difficulties often encountered in locating or rescuing lost animals," Martínez explained.

The Director General of Animal Rights, José Ramón Becerra, clarified that the general conditions for pet identification will be defined and regulated in collaboration with Reiac and other veterinary associations and colleges. "This collaboration will help jointly determine the requirements and actions that authorized veterinarians must undertake," he said.

This is why the Ministry of Social Rights has opened a fifteen-day public consultation period. During this time, organizations and entities involved in the pet identification process, as well as pet protection associations, can contribute ideas for the development of the future regulatory text.