Since 1 January 2026, the sale of live animals at weekly markets is banned across Flanders, bringing an end to a long-standing practice that has been part of street life in several towns and cities for generations. The measure is part of the new Flemish Animal Welfare Code introduced by Flemish minister for Animal Welfare Ben Weyts (N-VA) and is intended to strengthen the protection of animals traded in public spaces.

Under the new rules, no live animals may be sold at weekly markets. For animals other than dogs and cats, which were already banned from market sales years ago, limited exceptions remain for annual fairs, exhibitions and specialised animal markets that take place no more than eight times a year. Local police forces are responsible for supervising compliance with the rules and for recording any infringements.

Concerns about animal welfare

According to the Flemish Government, the reform is driven by concerns about animal welfare. Minister Weyts has repeatedly argued that transporting animals to and from busy markets on a weekly basis, exposing them to noise, crowds and changing weather conditions, is incompatible with modern welfare standards. 

In his view, people who wish to buy or view animals should do so where the animals are kept permanently, rather than moving them repeatedly through crowded public spaces.

Antwerp’s Vogelenmarkt

The ban marks the end of several historically significant markets, most notably Antwerp’s Vogelenmarkt or Birds Market. The bird market is deeply rooted in the city’s history and is often described as one of the oldest and most recognisable markets in Antwerp.

 Its origins can be traced back centuries, to a time when the city’s growing prosperity during the late Middle Ages and the sixteenth-century Golden Age was reflected in lively market activity. Historical sources indicate that a market selling game meat already existed on the Meir in 1272.

The Vogelenmarkt moved to its current location in the early nineteenth century, after an open and malodorous waterway was covered following a decree issued under Napoleon in 1811. This created new urban space, and the market gradually settled around what are now the Oude Vaartplaats and the Blauwtorenplein.

For much of the twentieth century, live animals were a central feature of the Vogelenmarkt. Racing pigeons and live poultry were sold there long before World War I, and during the 1950s and 1960s the market was one of the largest pigeon markets in Flanders and the southern Netherlands. After World War II, traders increasingly offered native and exotic songbirds, including canaries, parakeets and finches. 

From the 1970s onwards, however, interest declined as fewer city residents kept pigeons and regulations on pigeon lofts and bird keeping became stricter.

Bowing out in 2025

On the final Sunday of 2025, live animals were sold on the Vogelenmarkt for the last time. 

Many visitors came specifically to see the rabbits, guinea pigs and birds one final time, creating a mixture of nostalgia, sadness and debate among traders and customers alike. 

Several long-standing vendors expressed frustration and incomprehension at the decision, arguing that proper controls and inspections would have been preferable to an outright ban. Some felt that the minister lacked practical knowledge of birds and underestimated their resilience, while others questioned why certain traditional activities involving animals remain permitted while market sales are prohibited.

For some traders, the ban represents the end of an era and, in some cases, the end of their working lives. Vendors who had spent decades on the market described the Vogelenmarkt as far more than a place of commerce, emphasising the strong social ties built up with regular visitors over the years. 

They spoke of watching generations of families grow up, of long conversations with customers about their lives, and of the market as a unique social space in the city. A number of traders said they would now focus on breeding animals privately, while others announced their retirement, saying the ban had removed the final incentive to continue.