Veterinary Order calls for regulation of online pet sales

Pedro Fabrica, president of the Ordem dos Médicos Veterinários, has called for stricter regulation of domestic pet breeding and online sales during a parliamentary hearing. He reported that approximately 60% of pet sales now occur online, noting that some platforms provide fraudulent microchips and breeder identification numbers without oversight.

To combat this, Fabrica proposed that all online advertisements featuring a pet's microchip must be validated through the SIAC (Sistema de Validação de Animais de Companhia) to ensure authenticity. He also suggested that ASAE could play a role in monitoring online sales, which he identified as the primary sales mechanism.

Addressing the discrepancy in registration numbers, Fabrica noted that while the Clube Português de Canicultura registers about 15,000 animals annually, approximately 40,000 animals arrive at Official Collection Centers (CROS), most of which lack electronic identification. He argued that instead of focusing on defining 'informal breeders,' the priority should be regulating domestic reproduction. His proposal includes requiring authorization for home breeding and mandatory free registration of offspring on the SIAC website within the first 72 hours.