Puppy breeding in East Ayrshire - what we're doing to protect responsible breeders and owners
“A dog is for life, not just for Christmas” is a familiar slogan often bandied around at this time of year, reminding us all about the responsibilities which come with dog breeding and ownership
Once you’ve worked out what breed is suitable for your lifestyle and how you will rear and train it, and you’re sure that you’re ready to welcome a new puppy, the best way to make sure everything goes well is to do your homework about the breeder.
Choosing to go to a licensed breeder who has bred from dogs which have a proven pedigree, with genetic and health tests in place, can go a long way towards giving your pup a happy, healthy start in life. But how do you know where to go?
This is where Local Authorities like East Ayrshire Council come in. What are they doing to help keep dogs and their owners safe?
Commercial dog breeding in the UK is subject to licensing laws which dictate standards for welfare and rights and liabilities for those who breed three or more litters a year.
At a recent meeting of the East Ayrshire Licensing Panel elected members were presented with a comprehensive report which looks at the challenges and opportunities presented by dog breeding and the difficulties encountered by those who are involved in policing the rules around the trade.
The report, recently published by Four Paws, a well respected animal welfare charity which operates all over the world, is entitled “Puppy Breeding and Licensing: A Postcode Lottery of Enforcement”
Four Paws UK submitted Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to all UK Local Authorities, asking for information on dog breeding licences in each area. They wanted to know about:
- the enforcement of the animal welfare legislation
- the number of licensed dog breeders
- the number of annual inspections carried out
- the number of licences granted, revoked or suspended
- the number of complaints received
In Scotland Licensing authorities are responsible for administering applications for grant or renewal of licences under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Scotland) Regulations 2021.
This means any person who breeds three or more litters in a period of 12 months must hold a license. This applies regardless of whether the breeder sells or otherwise supplies a puppy as a pet to another person.
Welcoming the report and discussion at the meeting, Councillor Graham Barton, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Planning, Property and Environment said: “East Ayrshire currently has 15 establishments licensed as dog breeding premises. We have a well-established process for dealing with dog breeding applications, inspections and complaints, and do not propose to make any amendments to our current procedures.
“By law all Licensing Authorities must publish and maintain a register of licence holders, which means any prospective buyer of pet animals including puppies can check whether a breeder is licensed.
“As part of our efforts to improve welfare, combat puppy farming, and promote responsible breeding of healthy dogs we strongly recommend that buyers check the register which you can find on our Licensing Register on the East Ayrshire website."