Breeders - Your Legal Requirements

As a breeder, you have to meet and adhere to a number of legal requirements which can result in fines and possible prosecution in the event that you do not comply with your responsibilities. 

To summarise some of these requirements, they are: 

• Ensure the animals are Microchipped
• Ensure the animals are Vaccinated
• Puppies must be 8 weeks old before they can be sold or leave their mum.
• Puppies must be seen with their biological mum.

In 2016 it became a legal requirement for all dogs and puppies in the UK to be microchipped at no later than eight weeks old and you can be fined up to £500 if your dog is found not to be microchipped.

What is a Microchip?

A microchip is a small device which is implanted by a vet in between your pet’s shoulders, under the skin, and measures in around 7mm, that’s roughly the size of a grain of rice. The procedure is quick and painless and your pet won’t feel a thing and is so small that they’ll never know it’s there. 

A microchip’s purpose is to identify your pet when scanned using the link between the implanted chip, and the database your pet’s details remain on. Think of it a bit like a barcode or a QR code for your pet. Therefore, this can be a quick and useful way of being reunited if your pet goes missing.

How?

• When your lost pet is found, it can be taken to any local vet or animal charity where it will be scanned with a small device for a microchip
• If your pet is microchipped, the scanner will find the microchip number and identify your pet along with a home address and contact number
• Once the vet identifies your pet, they can then contact you and reunite you with your best friend in no time.

My pet’s been microchipped – what next?

As soon as your pet has been chipped, you’ll receive their chip number. This is a unique 15-digit number aligned with your pet and will identify them should they ever wander too far. Once you have the chip number, you can register this with your chip’s database and that’s where we come in! 

If your litter has been Microchipped with Animaldata, the Implanter would have pre-registered your details on our system. You should have received an email inviting you to create an account. Please CLICK HERE for more info. 

In the United Kingdom breeders need to have a license if they breed 3 or more litters in a year (or 5 if they are in Scotland). The laws apply to where the breeder is based. Here’s our handy guide to what the laws mean in all four countries of the United Kingdom:

• England
• Wales
• Scotland
• Northern Ireland

In October 2018 the government in England introduced a new law about breeding and selling puppies. It’s designed to help protect the welfare of puppies and their parents.

The rules apply to anyone who is:

• breeding three or more litters of puppies in any 12-month period (unless they don’t sell any of the puppies)
• breeding dogs and advertising a business of selling dogs.

If they’re doing either of these things they must have a licence from their local authority and they must display their licence number in any adverts for puppies. If you’re buying a puppy, always make sure you see the breeder’s licence number. If they meet the criteria but don’t have a licence, walk away. If you’re not sure if they need a licence you can find their local council to check with them here.

The law includes conditions that the breeders have to meet, and they cover how the health, behaviour and welfare of the puppies and their parents are protected, including:

• Breeders can only sell puppies they have bred themselves, and only from the place the puppy was bred and reared.
• Puppies must be 8 weeks old before they can be sold or leave their mum.
• Puppies must be seen with their biological mum.
• Breeders must be able to show they have used a ‘socialisation and habituation’ plan, which means they’ll have been gradually and positively introduced to a range of people and different household experiences and noises so that they’ll be happy and confident in their new homes.
• Breeders are required by law to ensure their litters are Microchipped with an approved Database before selling any animal.

Breeders will be given a star rating, so always choose a breeder who meets the ‘higher standards’ which help makes sure they are selling happy, healthy puppies. In order to achieve a higher standard, breeders must use a puppy contract when they sell their puppies.

If you are concerned that you may have come across a puppy farm or puppy dealer - please contact your local trading standards or report it to the RSPCA or the police.

In Wales, under The Animal Welfare (Breeding of Dogs) (Wales) Regulations 2014 a breeder will need a licence to breed dogs if they keep 3 or more breeding bitches on their premises and:

1. breed on those premises 3 or more litters of puppies in any 12 month period;
2. advertise for sale from those premises a puppy or puppies born from 3 or more litters of puppies for sale in any 12 month period;
3. supply from those premises a puppy or puppies born from 3 or more litters of puppies in any 12 month period; or
4. advertise a business of breeding or selling puppies from those premises.

If you’re buying a puppy, always make sure you see the breeder’s licence number. If they meet the criteria but they don’t have a licence, walk away. If you’re not sure if they need a licence you can find their local council to check with them here.

If you are concerned that you may have come across a puppy farm - please contact your local trading standards or report it to the RSPCA.

In Scotland there are several laws under which puppy breeding falls. If the breeder does any of the following they will require a license:

• Breeding and selling of five or more litters in a year.
• Advertising a business breeding and selling dogs
• Selling dogs commercially, such as in a pet shop
• Selling puppies under the age of 12 weeks (even if they are not the breeder)

However a license is not needed if:

• The puppy is being sold from an animal sanctuary or rehoming centre
• The puppy is an offspring of a dog they are keeping as a pet
• No more than 2 puppies are being sold in any 12 month period
• They are already a licensed breeder, a pet shop license holder or an animal sanctuary or rehoming centre.

If you’re buying a puppy, always make sure you see the breeder’s licence number. If they meet the criteria but they don’t have a licence, walk away. If you’re not sure if they need a licence you can find their local council to check with them here.

If you are concerned that you may have come across a puppy farm - please contact your local trading standards or report it to the RSPCA.