Licences & Costs Involved in Breeding
Keeping up to date with both the legal requirements and best practices is important if you want to approach dog breeding responsibly and ethically. Here’s the lowdown on what’s involved in obtaining a breeding license, and the wider financial cost of breeding dogs.
If you are concerned that you may have come across an unlicensed breeding establishment or breeder – please contact the dog wardens team for your local council to report it.
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.
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.
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.
A breeding establishment is defined as one or more premises, within the same area, operated by the same person and from which that person keeps three or more breeding bitches, and
Are you struggling with the cost of living?
You can find help with accessing grants, useful advice and money that you may be entitled to. Visit our cost of living support page
The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 came into force 1 October 2018; and require any person who breeds 3 litters in any 12 month period to have a licence. The regulations also state that activities that fulfil one or more of the following criteria are subject to licensing:
- The number, frequency and/or volume of sales – systematic and repeated transactions using the same means of advertising are likely to indicate a commercial activity.
- High volumes of animals sold or advertised for sale could indicate a business.
- Low volumes of animals sold or advertised could indicate a business where high sales prices or large profit margins are involved.
- High range and variability in the breeds traded. A wide variety of breeds being advertised could indicate the commercial nature of the activity.
- High numbers of advertisements of puppies for sale, including on classified websites, could indicate commercial behaviour, even where there is no actual sale taking place via the internet. This could be high numbers of advertisements at any one time or over a short period of time, and/or regularly.
- Advertising through a variety of sites, forums or media could indicate a commercial activity.
The circumstances which a local authority must take into account in determining whether an activity is being carried on in the course of a business for the purposes of this Schedule include, for example, whether the operator:
Licence for breeding dogs.
If you want to be a professional dog breeder, the first step is acquiring the appropriate license. Different countries have different regulations which can be confusing if you’re new to it all. In this article, we will break down how to get a dog breeding license in the UK, USA, Canada & Australia.
Although you don’t need a license to breed the odd litter for fun, if you’re looking to make a commercial business out of it, a license is an essential and ethical step. Breeding license registration helps to keep breeders in check and encourages ethical dog breeding.
Much like a typical business permit, a dog breeding license is something that you need when you’re looking to start up a dog breeding business. This is defined as the regular breeding and selling of dogs for a commercial profit.
Licenses are especially important for breeders because they are in charge of caring for animals and their babies. It’s essential that they should be vetted by an authority to make sure they are appropriate to do so.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of breeders that practice unethically out there. They are able to fly under the radar because they are not vetted by any official organization.
So, make sure you’re up to date on any and all licenses or permits you may need as a dog breeder in your country. Not only will it keep you out of legal trouble, but it will also make sure you meet every necessary welfare standard to keep your dogs and their puppies safe, happy, and healthy.
British breeders need to contact their local council for a UK breeding license. For detailed advice on how to navigate the paperwork and dog breeding in general, the British government suggests contacting the UK Kennel Club. You need a license in the UK if you run a business that breeds and advertises dogs for sale, or if you breed three or more litters in a year and sell any of the puppies. Breeders caught doing either of these without a license could face a fine or up to six months in prison.
Licenses are issued by the British government. Upon receiving an application, the local council will arrange a background check and an inspection of the breeder’s premises. They will inspect whether the conditions of the premises are in line with the Animal Welfare Act, as well as any records kept regarding the business. Applicants will not receive a license if they have committed any animal welfare offenses and possibly other offenses. Licensed breeders must maintain welfare conditions in order to keep their licenses. Not meeting license requirements could result in a fine.
Depending on how well you pass your inspection, the council will decide whether the license is valid for 1, 2, or 3 years until it is up for renewal. You request renewal paperwork from the same local authority and it will be similar to the original forms. Breeders must submit it before the original license expires or they will have to go through the whole application process again. How long a license lasts will determine the cost of the application fee. UK dog licenses allow breeders to operate in England, Scotland, and Wales.
Those looking to start a commercial dog breeding business in the US must request licensing forms at the Animal Care Office in their state. Whether or not you need a license will depend on the state you live in. So be sure to do your research! Some states require you to obtain a license if you breed more than two litters a year. While in others, it depends on the amount of revenue generated per year by the breeder. Those who are unsure if they need a license should use the USDA’s registration assistant to help them.
Licenses are issued and regulated by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Some states also have their own regulating bodies which have their own sets of rules. So make sure to check with your local authorities if this applies to you. Applicants should take a look at the USDA’s pre-license info pack to help them navigate the license form. It also lets you know about all of the upcoming paperwork and the essential information all budding breeders should know. This includes the day-to-day care of dogs in line with the Animal Welfare Act (AWA).
Once you have applied for your license, the USDA will carry out an unannounced inspection of your kennels to make sure that all federal regulations including those AWA standards are being met. Licenses will be valid for one year from the issue date. Breeders looking to renew their license must do so through the Animal Care Office before it expires. If not, applicants will have to go through the entire process again. Much of the paperwork is the same.
In Canada, you do not need a license to breed dogs. However, breeders with more than three dogs per household, and in some places four, must register for a permit with the Canadian Kennel Club. There are different processes for different permits and budding breeders should enquire with the CKC for which one is appropriate for them. However, you can access the majority of the general paperwork online through the registration forms page of the CKC website.
Breeders and their premises must meet the CKC’s codes of practice in accordance with Canada’s Animal Pedigree Act to acquire a breeding certification. This will be graded based upon the following criteria; space, housing, and environment.
To elaborate, every breed of dog has different spatial requirements. Toy dog breeds must have at least 4 square meters of indoor space each, whilst giant breeds must have up to or over 15 square meters. All dogs should be housed inside in a safe, clean environment, with proper heating and air conditioning, suitable beds, and access to clean water and secure outdoor space.
In order to breed and sell puppies or kittens in Australia, you need a license from the Australian government. Applications for licenses are via the Australian Business Licence and Information Service (ABLIS). Budding breeders must contact the contact officer at the ABLIS and request the application forms. There is an application fee of $424.00 (Australian dollars).
After applying, there will be an inspection to ensure your business complies with animal welfare breeding standards. Once you have your license, you will receive a letter with a unique breeding license number that must be on display in all advertisements for the sale of any puppies or kittens you breed.
The licenses last for two years from the date they are issued and must be renewed before they run out, or breeders will have to go through the entire application process again. Breeders may also need to get in touch with their state’s specific governing body or kennel society for additional localized permits.