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Dogs: Animal Breeding

Answer

The law on the breeding of dogs was updated and improved in 2018. One of the reasons for updating the laws on dog breeding was to crack down on unscrupulous breeders who breed dogs purely for financial greed at the expense of the welfare of the dogs.

Under The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 (the 2018 Regulations) anyone in the business of breeding and selling dogs and/or who breeds three or more litters in a twelve month period needs to have a valid licence from their local authority. This prevents breeders claiming they are non-commercial in order to avoid being licensed.

Under the 2018 Regulations local authorities have powers to grant, refuse or revoke a licence. Licencees must achieve and maintain statutory minimum animal welfare standards, linked to the welfare needs of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, and licensed breeders are prevented from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead to welfare problems for the mother or the puppies.

Additionally, the commercial third-party sales of puppies and kittens was banned in England from 6 April 2020. This prevents pet shops, pet dealers and other commercial outlets from selling these animals in England unless they themselves have bred them. It means anyone looking to get a puppy or kitten must buy direct from a breeder or consider adopting from a rescue centre instead.

In addition to, and ahead of, the ban coming into force, my Department launched a national communications campaign (Petfished) to raise awareness of issues associated with low-welfare and illegal supply of pets. This includes providing clear signposting on where responsible breeders and rehoming centres can be found and encouraging prospective buyers to research the seller thoroughly before they visit and decide to purchase. The campaign provides a list of red flags for buyers to look out for when searching for a pet online.

Together, the legislative changes and Petfished campaign, are helping to raise awareness for and tackle issues of poor quality breeding practices. This is particularly relevant for Pugs, French Bulldogs and other brachycephalic or flat faced breeds which have become increasingly popular in the UK but whose conformation is associated with several health issues including breathing difficulties, skin fold infections and difficulty giving birth.

Meanwhile my Department continues to follow closely the work of the Brachycephalic Working Group which aims to raise awareness of the health problems relating to brachycephalic breeds and identify ways in which their health and welfare can be improved.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

178886

Session

2019-21

Subjects

Animal breeding Dogs Regulation

Link

View this Written question on www.parliament.uk