“After exploratory talks, the Board of Europetnet wishes to express its support for the aims and approach of the FOUR PAWS Model Solution. We believe that cooperation between online advertisement platforms and Identification and Registration Databases through the integration of their respective processes will not only ensure tighter regulation of the online trade in dogs, but will also enable traceability of those involved and ultimately go a long way to eradicate the illegal puppy trade.”
Michel Schoffeniels, President of Europetnet
“Dyreværnet ('Animal care') in Denmark support the Model Solution and all the work being done to implement 'tracing the trade' in regard to online sales and import/export of puppies, and dogs in general. We will work to facilitate the implementation of the Model Solution in Denmark via Dansk Hunderegister (the Danish Dog Registry), Fødevarestyrelsen (the Food administration, from where animal welfare is governed) and relevant politicians.”
Dr. Rikke Lee, CEO Dyreværnet
“Providing a quality classified ad site by ensuring maximum security for our users is one of the priorities of anibis.ch. For years, we have been convinced that simply deleting the category 'animals' is not a solution and that is the reason why we are conducting discussions with animal welfare associations in order to put in place effective measures to curb the illegal puppy trade. Anibis.ch supports the FOUR PAWS’ proposal and is gladly offering its help as a test platform.”
Jelena Moncilli, Anti-Fraud Specialist at anibis.ch
“ANIMALDATA.COM welcomes the FOUR PAWS initiative against the illegal puppy trade which requires all breeders and pet traders to be registered. In order to be able to trace each animal, a breeders or traders registration number would need to be recorded in both state and I&R databases prior to any transfer of a puppy. ANIMALDATA.COM is ready to implement the related requirements of EUROPETNET in Austria.”
Dr. Herbert Mueller, Internationale Tierkennzeichendatenbank ANIMALDATA.COM
“The edogs website, which specialises in the online trade in dogs, is proud to announce its collaboration with FOUR PAWS. The online platform, which has been in operation since December 1st 2017, has a key focus on providing safety in the online dog market. During a time of illegal puppy traders, and so-called ‘trunk puppies’, it is important for edogs to be able to offer a trustworthy platform. FOUR PAWS is committed to establishing full traceability in the online puppy trade, so the edogs team sat down with them to develop this collaboration. Through the FOUR PAWS Model Solution, edogs has learned how it is possible to stop the illegal puppy trade. The team from edogs is happy to support this project to make the dog trade safer.”
Liselotte Laffree, edogs.de
“The Veterinary Association for Animal Protection e.V. (TVT) has been concerned about the lack of transparency in the international puppy trade for many years. Over 1,300 of our members who work as veterinarians in practices across Germany, as official veterinarians and in business and research, are increasingly confronted with the consequences of this trade; an increase in transmissible diseases such as distemper and parvovirus, seriously ill puppies are being sold online with no way of tracing their origin, and many overwhelmed owners are having to give up their behaviorally disturbed imported dogs. The Model Solution proposed by FOUR PAWS will provide transparency and traceability of this trade at European level, and improve both animal welfare as well as human and animal health.”
Dr. Andreas Franzky, Chairman of Tierärztlichen Vereinigung für Tierschutz e.V. (TVT)
“Clear identification and registration of dogs in member clubs has been a standard within our association for a long time. The VDH participates intensively in both the alliance "Arbeitsgemeinschaft Welpenhandel" and network 'K&R' (Identification and Registration) in order to achieve a national registration of all dogs and a registration in Germany. Within the EU member states, Germany is one of the three countries in which there is no national obligation to register. In order to establish effective rules to control and restrict puppy trade within the EU, it is particularlyimportant to control and restrict online animal trade. The FOUR PAWS Model Solution and the inclusion of an EU-wide registration of all breeders, sellers and facilities such as animal shelters provides a concrete way of achieving these goals.”
Udo Kopernik, Verband für das Deutsche Hundewesen
“The dubious trade of puppies, increasingly being sold via classified ad sites, represents a serious animal welfare problem in Europe and is associated with immense animal suffering. In order to dry-up the illegal market and create much needed transparency, the bmt expressly supports the Model Solution presented by VIER PFOTEN. Since it ties in with existing European law and can fall back on already existing modern database systems for the identification and registration of animals, its successful implementation and national roll-out is ultimately only a question of political will.”
Karsten Plücker, Chairman of Bund gegen Missbrauch der Tiere (bmt)
