MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazil launches pet registration program for cats and dogs

When we take proper care of the dog and cat population, we avoid zoonoses, Silva noted

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva Thursday launched the National Program for the Protection and Ethical Population Management of Dogs and Cats (ProPatinhas) and the National Domestic Animal Registry System (SinPatinhas) during a ceremony at the Planalto Palace.

These initiatives aim to promote responsible pet ownership, combat animal abandonment and mistreatment, and enhance animal welfare through ethical population control.

SinPatinhas is a voluntary national database for registering dogs and cats, accessible via Gov.br. It generates a unique, non-transferable Animal ID (with a QR code for collars) that stays with the pet for life. The registry includes owner details and pet information (breed, sex, age, vaccinations, health, microchip data). Guardians must report sales, donations, or deaths. Personal data is protected under the General Data Protection Law (LGPD).

Registered owners receive updates on public campaigns for castration, vaccination, and microchipping. The system helps locate lost pets, supports zoonosis control (diseases transmissible between animals and humans), and increases transparency in federal fund allocation for animal welfare.

Meanwhile, ProPatinhas supports ethical population management through actions like funding castration, microchipping, and training for public managers. It promotes harmonious coexistence between pets and society.

The initiatives stem from Law 15.046/2024, sanctioned in December 2024, and fulfill a 2022 campaign promise by Lula to animal protection advocates. Brazil, with an estimated 115 million dogs and 47 million cats, faces challenges like animal cruelty and abandonment, which these programs aim to address.

The programs are seen as a milestone in recognizing and supporting animal welfare in Brazil, offering practical tools for pet care and public health without mandatory participation or penalties.

“There will be no penalty, because it's a voluntary process. This will not generate any costs. It will only generate benefits, because when we take proper care of the dog and cat population, we avoid zoonoses, which are diseases that are transmitted between animals and can pass from animals to people,” Environment Minister Marina Silva said.

“For a long time, protectors who dedicate their lives to caring for dogs and cats have walked alone, but that changes here,” said the Environment Ministry's Director of Animal Protection, Defense and Rights, Vanessa Negrini. “Thank you very much for listening to the cries of thousands of people who have been fighting for this cause for years. With Pro Patinhas and SinPatinhas, we have finally come out of invisibility. Today, we are seen by the federal government,” she also pointed out.