Pets – comprised of several thousand different species, ranging from dogs and cats to small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates – are an important part of our European social, cultural and economic fabric.
With its Manifesto 2024-29, the European Pet Organization (EPO) as the voice of the pet sector, represents the importance of the pet sector to pet lovers and pet owners, and society at large.
While promoting the EPO Charter, EPO affirms the importance of responsible pet keeping and a responsible pet trade, regulated through responsible & sensible legislation.
With its core being the mutualistic human-animal bond that has persisted through history, with a wide variety of animals being kept successfully as pets, the EPO Manifesto 2024-29 emphasizes the predominant benefits that pet keeping provides to our society. Pet keeping offers positive health impacts, conservation expertise, sustainable livelihoods through sustainable sourcing, engagement with and understanding of nature, advancements in husbandry and keeping expertise, and positive economic impacts.
With todays’ Manifesto, EPO commits to continue being the voice of the pet sector throughout this new EU term. EPO commits to actively sharing our sector’s expertise and experience on all EU agenda items of interest to the pet sector.
EPO President Svein A. Fosså states: “Throughout EPO’s near 35 years of representing and protecting the interests of the pet sector at the European level, we have seen EU politics expanding to cover more and more areas of direct and indirect importance to our sector. EPO aims to continue engaging with the EU authorities at large, thereby ensuring that both scientific based evidence and a multistakeholder approach are being used in the decision-making processes with the best possible outcome for society and the animals themselves".
