From 1 July, would-be pet owners in Wallonia will need a permit to adopt an animal, Belga News Agency reports.
Technically a licence to own an animal has existed in Wallonia since 1 January 2019, but every adult is automatically granted one because there is no actual document – it only matters in cases when that virtual licence is revoked due to animal abuse.
But from July, adults looking to adopt will need to provide a document from the central register proving that they haven’t had this permission to own an animal revoked.
It will then be up to sellers, animal shelters and breeders to check whether the prospective adopter meets the conditions.
