Breeding and pet sales
Find out what we’re doing to protect pets from poor breeding conditions and establish licensing for all pet sellers.
Blue Cross is campaigning for the introduction of a mandatory system of registration and licensing for all those who breed and sell pets in England, Scotland and Wales. This would ensure full traceability and increase transparency. We would also like to see registration for the first litter to cover unexpected litters and licensing from the second litter.
This would be accompanied by the creation of a centralised database of all registered and licensed breeders and sellers, including those sellers who advertise online, whether on classified websites or social media. We are also calling for all breeders to display their registration or licence number in all advertisements, whether for sale, rehoming, or transfer.
Past campaigns
Unpicking the knots
Read our report investigating commercial breeding, and making the case for a more cohesive approach to pet welfare legislation.
Since publishing this report, people carrying out some animal activities as a business – including breeding dogs, and selling animals as pets – must now be licensed to do so by their local authority. Pet shops in England are now banned from selling puppies and kittens.
We continue to campaign for a registration and licensing system for anyone breeding or selling animals, and the creation of a centralised database of all registered and licensed breeders and sellers.
Welsh pets deserve better
Our report called for registration and licensing of all pet sellers.
After we published our report, regulations came into force requiring all licensed pet sellers in Wales to include specific information within pet sales adverts, including: the licence holder’s licence number, a recognisable photo of the animal being sold, and display the age and country of origin of the animal being sold.
End the trend
Our past campaign called on brands to end their use of flat faced breeds in future advertisements.
Advice for buying a pet
Buying a puppy
Buying a puppy
Buying a kitten or cat
If you want to buy a kitten or take on a cat then this guide will run through topics like how much they cost, where to buy a cat and things to look out for in a breeder.
Buying a kitten or cat
If you want to buy a kitten or take on a cat then this guide will run through topics like how much they cost, where to buy a cat and things to look out for in a breeder.
Things to think about before buying a flat-faced (brachycephalic) dog
Things to think about before buying a flat-faced (brachycephalic) dog
