Dog breeding and sales
‘Puppy farming' refers to the practices of unlicensed dog breeders who operate illegally, and where often the worst forms of cruelty and neglect are found amongst the breeding bitches, stud dogs and puppies. While we continue to work with local authorities to detect and prosecute such cases, we believe that the standards required of licensed dog breeding establishments should be much higher.
As it stands, dog breeders in Wales are licenced under the Animal Welfare (Breeding of Dogs) (Wales) Regulations 2014. While we welcomed the initial introduction of these regulations, more than a decade has passed since they were created. As such, we are keen to work with the Welsh Government and other stakeholders to see these regulations reviewed and updated to ensure that they are fit for purpose and reflect modern breeding practices and standards.
In 2019, the Welsh Government published a report reviewing the 2014 regulations which made a number of recommendations to tackle the long-standing issues associated with them. More recently, the Welsh Government has indicated its intention to update the 2014 regulations - much to the delight of RSPCA Cymru.
To address Wales’ previous reputation as the puppy farming capital of the UK, the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Wales) Regulations came into force in 2021. Under these regulations, anyone who wants to sell pets in Wales has to meet minimum animal welfare standards for the first time, with a new licensing scheme introduced for pet sellers. This legislation establishes that puppies or kittens under six months of age not bred by the licence holder cannot be sold. The law also states that puppies, kittens, ferrets or rabbits cannot be sold until they are at least eight weeks of age - while local authorities across Wales now need to provide more data about the numbers of licenced premises in a locality.
Wales’ local authorities currently have two pieces of legislation relevant to the selling and breeding of dogs to enforce, as outlined above. RSPCA Cymru is therefore calling for consideration to be given as to whether they can both be brought under one legal framework to assist enforcement officers and help simplify and streamline the process for all.