The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee welcomes the
Government’s move to bring in a tougher dog licensing regime but
does not believe it goes far enough.
MP, Chair of the Committee,
says that “I am unhappy that the Government has not followed our
suggestion to ban the third party sale of dogs, as I believe this
would have had a large impact on the condition of dogs sold in
the UK. The Government’s own advice for a buyer to see a puppy
with its mother is contradicted by the ability of third parties
to sell puppies.
However, any tightening up of the sale of animals must be seen as
a step in the right direction. The Committee recommended that
those trading pets commercially online needed to be properly
licensed, with the license number displayed, and I welcome the
Government’s action in this area.
While I welcome a new licensing regime for breeders, the
Committee will be disappointed that the Government has decided to
apply it to anyone breeding three litters or more. The majority
of animal charities we heard from advocated that anyone selling
two litters or more per year should be licensed as a breeder.
This is a lost opportunity to bring more breeders under the
licensing regime.
I’m pleased that the Government has followed our recommendation
that businesses accredited by UKAS should not be exempt from the
licensing regime.
Our inquiry highlighted the importance of the socialisation of
puppies. The licensing regime must not become a tick-box exercise
by local authorities and that action by breeders to support the
social development of puppies must be looked at”.
