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Home / European Agriculture Committee abandons hunting dogs

European Agriculture Committee abandons hunting dogs

12-06-2025

In early June, the Committee of Agriculture  and Rural Development of the European Parliament voted on a legislative proposal intended to offer better protection for dogs and cats bred, kept, and sold within the EU. While the proposal marks a significant step forward in safeguarding animal welfare, there is also serious cause for concern. The committee made several amendments to the European Commission’s original proposal that now exclude large numbers of dogs and cats from receiving protection—including hunting dogs, who desperately need it.

European Agriculture Committee abandons hunting dogs

European Agriculture Committee abandons hunting dogs | Photo: Aitor Garmendia / CAS International / AnimaNaturalis

Each year in Spain alone, at least 50,000 hunting dogs—such as galgos and podencos—are dumped and killed in horrific ways at the end of hunting season. They are hanged from trees, buried alive, or simply abandoned. If they’re lucky, their hunter drops them off at a shelter. Many hunting dogs live in deplorable conditions, without clean water, proper nutrition, space, or veterinary care.

Agriculture Committee weakens key protections

There is now a unique opportunity to stop these cruel practices at the European level. But that window is closing. The Agriculture Committee’s amendments threaten to exclude many of these animals from legal protection. Their changes are a major step backwards for animal welfare, and include:

  • Exempting agricultural businesses and private individuals who keep dogs and cats from almost all rules on identification, registration, and general welfare standards.
  • Allowing so-called “small breeders” (with fewer than 4 breeding females or 3 litters per year) to meet only minimal welfare requirements.
  • Permitting painful procedures and mutilations to continue for all these animals.
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The EU threatens to exclude galgos and podencos from protection © CAS International/AnimaNaturalis

Hunting dogs left unprotected

As a result of these exemptions, up to 80% of dogs—including hunting dogs—and cats in some countries will fall outside the scope of EU protection. This effectively means that a large group of owners can continue to abuse, neglect, or abandon animals with no legal consequences. They are not even required to microchip or register their dogs. This goes against promises made by, among others, the European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare.

Hunting dogs should not be excluded from protection—but they are, through various loopholes. For them, European legislation is literally a matter of life and death.

The European Parliament will vote on the proposal in plenary on June 19. After that, negotiations will begin with the European Commission and the Council of the European Union (made up of ministers from member states). On June 19, the Parliament still has the opportunity to correct the Agriculture Committee’s mistakes and give all dogs and cats the protection they deserve.

Research into Hunting in Spain

For years, CAS International and AnimaNaturalis have been working together to improve the welfare of hunting dogs. We conduct research and lobby the government to implement legal protections for these animals.

In 2021 and 2022, we investigated kennels at 29 hunting sites. We found hunting dogs living in appalling conditions: they were confined in their own excrement and relied on contaminated drinking water. Veterinarians involved in our research observed behaviors indicative of prolonged captivity. Many dogs were chained, restricting their movement, and showed signs of poor health, such as lameness.

Research on Monterías

In 2023, our research focused on “monterías,” a hunting method where groups of dogs chase, attack, and kill large animals like wild boars and deer. This practice, banned in most European countries, causes severe animal suffering—for both the hunting dogs and the hunted animals. The scene includes severely injured dogs, stabbing incidents, animals in agonizing death throes, and hunters stitching up their dogs’ wounds without veterinary supervision.

Investigation reveals cruelties in Spanish hunting with dogs

Want to learn more about hunting with dogs in Spain? Watch the documentary Yo Galgo by Yeray López.

Do you want to help?  

Would you also like to call on the Members of the European Parliament to give all dogs and cats the protection they deserve? On this website you will find contact details.

 

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