Choosing where a puppy or kitten comes from is one of the biggest decisions a new owner makes, and in England the rules changed in 2020. This guide covers England only. The GOV.UK licensing guidance states that Wales has separate regulations, and this article does not cover Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, so readers there should check their own nation’s rules.
What Lucy’s Law is
According to GOV.UK, Lucy’s Law came into force on 6 April 2020. It bans commercial third-party sales of puppies and kittens under six months old in England. A third-party sale is one made by anyone other than the person who bred the animal, which is the route pet shops and dealers used to take. The government’s message to buyers is simple: buy direct from a breeder, or consider adopting from a rescue centre instead. GOV.UK describes the law as devolved legislation that applies to England only.
What licensed sellers must and must not do
The GOV.UK guidance on selling animals as pets sets out several rules for England:
- Businesses selling animals as pets, or animals intended for resale as pets, need a licence. This applies whether the business operates from a home or online.
- Hobby breeders with a small number of offspring do not need licensing unless they operate frequently or with many animals.
- Puppies, kittens, ferrets or rabbits less than 8 weeks old cannot be sold.
- Puppies or kittens that the seller has not bred themselves cannot be sold.
- The licence number must be displayed in any advertising, and records must be kept ready for inspection.
- Councils inspect facilities before licensing, checking areas such as accommodation, nutrition, exercise, veterinary care and emergency preparedness.
Selling without a licence when one is needed can lead to an unlimited fine or imprisonment of up to six months, according to the same guidance.
How to check a seller before you commit
GOV.UK’s Lucy’s Law announcement lists practical checks for buyers:
- Research the seller. Look at the seller’s profile and search their name online.
- Check the phone number. See whether the same number appears across multiple adverts.
- Confirm the age. The animal must be at least 8 weeks old.
- Ask for health records. This includes vaccinations, flea and worm treatment, and microchipping.
- Meet the mother. The mother dog or cat should be at the breeder’s location.
- Avoid rushed sales or unusual meeting places.
The same page names red flags: a seller advertising many litters from different breeds, a mother who is unavailable to meet, a “fake” mother that does not interact with the puppies, animals labelled as “rescues” at unusually high prices, pressure to complete the sale quickly, and health problems at the point of purchase.
Putting the checks into practice
None of these checks needs special knowledge, but together they cut down the room a dishonest seller has to work with. A useful habit is to write the checks down before you start looking, so that a charming advert or a sad story does not talk you out of them. If the seller resists showing you the mother, will not share records, or asks for a deposit before you have seen the animal at its place of birth, treat that as a reason to walk away rather than a problem to negotiate around.
It also helps to keep a paper trail. Save the advert, note the licence number if one is displayed, and keep any messages. If something later turns out to be wrong, that record is more useful than memory. If you suspect a seller is operating without a licence, your local council is a sensible first contact, because the England guidance describes councils as the bodies that inspect premises before licensing.
It is easy to be pulled towards the first available advert. Taking a few days to run the checks above costs little compared with the years you will share with the animal.
Adopting from a rescue is the other route the government highlights. Rescue centres have their own processes, so expect questions from them about your home and experience. Be aware that the same GOV.UK page lists animals labelled as “rescues” but priced unusually high as a red flag, so the word “rescue” in an advert is not proof of anything by itself.
The bottom line
In England, Lucy’s Law means a puppy or kitten under six months old should come from the person who bred it, or from a rescue, not from a dealer or shop. Licensed sellers must display their licence number and cannot sell animals under 8 weeks old. Meet the mother, see the records, check the seller’s history and never let pressure rush the decision. These rules apply to England only, so buyers in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland should check their own nation’s requirements.