摘要:The growing numbers of stray dogs and cats have posed serious public-health, socioeconomic,
political and animal-welfare problems in many EU countries. Stray animal population
control is a complex issue and there are no easy solutions. Recognising the importance of the issue
the European Commission has, since 2007, actively contributed to the elaboration of the first global
welfare standards for the control of dog populations in the framework of the World Organisation
for Animal Health (OIE). Problem-solving approaches vary in different countries as there is no
common European Community legislation dealing with stray animal control. In this paper the authors
describe the characteristics of the stray dog and cat problem in general and focus on existing
European legislation. A comparative overview of policies and measures in place in the Czech
Republic and in Italy is made to observe the differences between the two countries and understand
the different needs in each, considering their historical and social differences (i.e. a post-communist
eastern country vs a western country and founder member of what is now the European Union).