Is the end of ‘designer pets’ near in the Netherlands?

The Dutch Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, Piet Adema, will be proposing a bill to Parliament to ban the ownership of breeds with a higher risk of impairing animal welfare, such as brachycephalic dogs and cats with genetic mutations.

The proposal also covers publishing photos or marketing these animals on social media and other public platforms. Adema argues that while this ban is complex and far-reaching, he wants to clarify what people in the Netherlands can expect from him regarding animal welfare. 

“We have very consciously decided to make our intention known at this stage of the policymaking process. We want people who are contemplating taking a pet to consider these incoming policy changes and, most importantly, to be aware of animal welfare when it comes to deciding on a type of pet to adopt,” said the ministry.

Cats and dogs with unusual appearances, such as folded ears and brachycephalic breeds, fall into the designer pet category. Short-snout dogs mostly suffer from breathing issues, while cats with folded ears have gene mutations that affect cartilage throughout the body, causing deformity and joint diseases. 

No clear timeframe

The time frame for the proposal to reach Parliament wasn’t provided. The ministry is working on details such as identifying the exact physical traits of pets that will be part of the regulation. 

According to the ministry, the bill will apply to acquiring new pets and not to pet parents who already own animals with said traits. Pet parents would be permitted to keep their designer pets until they complete their life cycle. 

This ruling will also impact the trade and imports of these breeds into the country. The Netherlands passed a law in 2014 prohibiting the breeding of short-snouted dogs. 

Veterinarian Kelly Kessen of Dier&Recht, an animal protection body in Amsterdam, said this was “fantastic news for all dogs and cats that suffer from the extreme physical features they are purposefully bred for.”