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About 170,000 dogs and cats were registered in Flanders last year. That is less than in previous years. The corona peak now appears to be officially behind us.
In 2023, 85,382 dogs and 84,075 cats were registered in Flanders. That is less than in 2022, when there were more than 97,000 dogs and more than 85,00 cats, and also a lot less than during the corona crisis. In 2021, 97,125 cats and 112,961 dogs were registered. Then there was a clear peak that now seems to have passed.
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Last year we also registered fewer four-legged friends than in the period before corona. Minister of Animal Welfare Ben Weyts (N-VA) does not see an unambiguous explanation for this. “In any case, we encourage Flemish people to think very carefully before bringing an animal into their home,” he says. “It is an important and long commitment and you have to be 100 percent ready to put the necessary energy and money into it. Animals are not a consumer product that should be used as massively and as lavishly as possible.”
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Flemish Minister of Animal Welfare Ben Weyts (N-VA). — © BELGA
Just like in other years, the ‘common street dog’ is registered most often. Max and Luna remain the most popular dog names. Among cats, the European Shorthair is most often brought into the home and Simba and Nala are still the most popular names. “I have one shelter dog Sepp and two shelter cats Frisco and Noël at home,” says the animal minister. “Loyal friends who provide a lot of fun. This year too, the names of my housemates do not appear to be among the most popular. In the cats, the influence of The Lion King is still noticeable 30 years after the release of that film.”
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Since 1998, there has been an identification and registration obligation for dogs and since 2017 also for cats. Animals that are traded must be registered in the DogID or CatID databases. That has many advantages. For example, cats and dogs can easily be brought home if they get lost. The databases also provide them with an insight into certain developments. “Registering your animal friend on CatID or DogID only takes a little time, but it is an important investment in the well-being of your four-legged housemate,” says Weyts.