In England, breeding dogs above a certain scale needs a council licence. The rules apply to England only. This guide draws on GOV.UK’s guidance and on the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, and it is general information rather than legal advice. Wales has its own 2021 licensing regulations.
When a licence is needed
GOV.UK says that in England a licence to breed dogs is needed by anyone who runs a business that breeds and advertises dogs for sale, or who breeds three or more litters in any 12-month period and sells any of the puppies. The application is made to the local council, which decides the cost and the length of the licence. A licence is valid for one, two or three years and must be renewed before it expires for breeding to continue.
What the council checks
GOV.UK says the council will arrange an inspection of the premises before granting a licence and may carry out additional inspections at any time afterwards. The applicant must prove that the licence conditions can be met, including showing that dogs are:
- kept in suitable accommodation;
- provided with adequate food, drink and bedding;
- exercised regularly;
- transported in safe and comfortable conditions;
- protected in case of an emergency such as a fire; and
- protected from pain, injury, suffering and disease.
The licence holder must also keep records ready for inspection, such as a register of dogs and puppies, display the licence number in any advertising, and display the licence clearly on the premises. A licence will not be granted to someone who has committed animal welfare offences or who has been banned from hiring out horses, selling pets, boarding cats or dogs, or keeping or training animals for exhibition.
Specific conditions for breeding dogs
Schedule 6 to the 2018 Regulations sets out the conditions particular to dog breeding. The main ones include:
- Advertising and sales. The licence holder may not advertise or offer for sale a dog they did not breed, and may not sell except from the premises where the dog was born and reared, other than to a person holding a specified licence. Any advertisement must include the licence number, the issuing local authority, a recognisable photograph of the dog and the dog’s age.
- Information for buyers. The purchaser must be told the age, sex and veterinary record of the dog being sold.
- Age and the mother. No puppy under 8 weeks may be sold or permanently separated from its biological mother, and a puppy may only be shown to a prospective buyer together with its mother. Exceptions apply where separation is necessary for the health or welfare of the puppy, its littermates or the mother.
- Space and environment. Each dog needs a draught-free sleeping area with constant access and an exercise area, part or all of it outdoors, and enough room to stand on its hind legs, lie stretched out, wag its tail, walk and turn round. Each breeding bitch needs a separate whelping area.
- Socialisation and exercise. The licence holder must implement and be able to demonstrate a documented socialisation and habituation programme for puppies, and adult dogs must generally be exercised at least twice daily away from their sleeping area.
Limits on breeding from a bitch
Schedule 6, paragraph 6 says the licence holder must ensure that no bitch is mated if she is aged under 12 months, gives birth to more than one litter in a 12-month period, gives birth to more than six litters in total, or is mated after two litters delivered by caesarean section. It also says no dog may be kept for breeding if it can reasonably be expected, from its genotype, phenotype or state of health, that breeding from it could harm its own health or welfare or that of its offspring.
Microchips and records
Each puppy must be microchipped and registered to the licence holder before it is sold. The licence holder must record each puppy sale, including the microchip number, the sale date and the age of the puppy on that date, and must keep birth records for each litter, including the date and time of birth and the number of puppies. The wider legal duties around chips are explained in the microchipping guide.
Penalties
GOV.UK says that breeding dogs without a licence can lead to imprisonment for up to 6 months or an unlimited fine, and that an unlimited fine can also follow breaking the conditions of a licence.
What buyers can take from the conditions
Because the conditions are public, they double as a checklist for anyone buying a puppy in England. A licensed breeder should be advertising with a licence number and the issuing council, should show the puppy with its mother, should not sell a puppy under 8 weeks, and should provide the puppy’s age, sex and veterinary record. The guide to buying a puppy or kitten in England explains how these checks fit with Lucy’s Law.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a licence for a single litter?
GOV.UK ties the requirement to running a breeding business or to three or more litters in 12 months with puppies sold. The local council can confirm.
The bottom line
In England, a dog breeding licence is needed for a breeding business or for three or more litters in 12 months with puppies sold, and the licence brings inspection, welfare standards, limits on how often a bitch can be bred, and rules on advertising, microchips and records. These conditions apply to England only.