If you don’t have a valid licence
Keeping a dog without a valid licence may result in:
It is also an offence to take possession of a dog (whether you paid for it or not) before you have obtained a licence for it. You can be prosecuted for this offence and may be liable to a maximum fine of £1,000. The person who gave or sold you the dog is also guilty of an offence.
Contents:
There are over 20 pieces of legislation that apply to dog ownership in Britain. This guide will help you understand your responsibilities, but it is not to be considered as legal advice.
The information below applies to England and Wales only. The rules may be different in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Keeping your dog happy and healthy
Did you know that all British pet owners have a legal duty to provide for their pet’s welfare needs?
All domestic animals, under section nine of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, have the legal right to:
Dog owners who fail to ensure their pet’s welfare needs are met could face prosecution. And, more importantly, they run the risk of causing suffering to an animal who they have a responsibility to care for.
Owners can be taken to court if they don’t look after their pets properly and face a prison sentence of up to 51 weeks, and a fine of up to £20,000. They may also have their pet taken away from them or be banned from having pets in the future.
Law: Animal Welfare Act 2006, section 32
In Wales, dog collars that give an electric shock are banned. These include collars operated by remote control, anti-bark collars and collars that are linked to electric fences.
Owners who use these on their dogs (or cats) in Wales can go to prison for up to 51 weeks and face a fine of up to £20,000.
Electric shock collars use pain and fear to train or control dogs. We are campaigning for a UK-wide ban on these cruel devices.
Law: Animal Welfare (Electronic Collars) (Wales) Regulations 2010
It’s against the law to dock a pet dog’s tail, in whole or in part.
Exemptions to the rule include if tail removal is needed for medical reasons. Or, if the dog will become a working dog, then a puppy’s tail can be docked if they are less than five days old. This exemption only applies to certain breeds, and these defined types are different in England and Wales.
If illegal docking takes place, the penalties include a maximum of two years in prison and an unlimited fine.
Law: Under the Docking of Working Dogs Tails (England) Regulations 2007, Docking of Working Dogs Tails (Wales) Regulations 2007
It is illegal in England and Wales to crop a dogs ears, in whole or in part.
This is a painful procedure and damages the way a dog communicates with other pets and us.
If docking takes place, the penalties include a maximum of six months in prison and/or an unlimited fine.
Law: Animal Welfare Act 2006, section five (mutilation)
Animal cruelty is a criminal offence.
Allowing a dog to suffer unnecessarily could land you in prison for six months, a £20,000 fine and a ban on keeping animals.
Law: Animal Welfare Act 2006, section 32
Licence for breeding dogs.
Prior to this dog licences were mandatory under the Dog Licences Act 1959, having been originally introduced by the Dog Licences Act 1867 but the requirement was widely ignored, with only about half of owners having one.