Dog breeding licence
Under the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973, as amended by the Breeding
and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999, you must have a licence from
the council to keep a breeding establishment for dogs.
Premises must be inspected by a council officer and a vet
prior to issuing of the licence.
A breeding establishment means any premises where more than two
bitches are kept for the purposes of breeding for sale of their
offspring.
Licensing of
breeding establishments
Applications for a licence must be made to the local authority
and a licence may be issued if the applicant is not disqualified
under any of the following acts:
a) The Breeding of Dogs Act 1973
b) The Pet Animals Act 1951
c) The Protection of Animals (Amendment) Act 1954
d) The Protection of Animals (Cruelty to Dogs) (Scotland) Act
1934
There is an application fee which must be paid at the time of
application.
Where a licence is granted, that licence and any subsequent
licences will expire on the 31st December of the year to which the
licence relates and must be renewed before that date if the
premises are to continue as a dog breeding establishment.
Council's duties
Before being granted a licence, the applicant must be able to
demonstrate to the council's licensing inspector that:
- The dogs will at all times be kept in accommodation that is
suitable in respect of construction, size of quarters, number of
occupants, exercising facilities, temperature, lighting,
ventilation and cleanliness
- The dogs will be adequately supplied with suitable food, drink
and bedding material, adequately exercised and (so far as is
necessary) visited at suitable intervals
- All reasonable precautions will be taken to prevent and control
the spread among the dogs of infectious or contagious diseases,
including the provision of isolation facilities
- Appropriate steps will be taken for the protection of the dogs
in case of fire or other emergency, including the provision of
suitable and sufficient fire-fighting equipment
- All appropriate steps will be taken to ensure that the dogs
will be provided with suitable food, drink and bedding material,
and adequately exercised when being transported to or from the
breeding establishment.
A licence may be refused or withheld on other grounds if those
grounds are such that conditions are not suitable for the breeding
of dogs.
Each licence is subject to standard conditions that are imposed
on all dog breeding establishments licensed by the council.
In addition to the standard conditions, a licence may also
contain special conditions that are only applicable to your
premises.
Your right of
appeal
Any person aggrieved by a refusal to be granted a licence or by
any condition to which a licence is subject, may appeal to the
magistrate’s court.
Offences and penalties
The following offences apply to the breeding of dogs:
- Anybody found guilty of keeping a dog breeding establishment
without a licence may be subject to a fine not exceeding
£2,500
- Anybody found guilty of failing to comply with the conditions
of their licence may be subject to a fine not exceeding £2,500
- Anybody found guilty of obstructing or delaying an
environmental health officer or authorised veterinary surgeon or
veterinary practitioner in the exercising of their powers, may be
fined up to a maximum of £1,000
If found guilty under this act, the defendant's licence may be
cancelled and the person may be disqualified from keeping a dog
breeding establishment for such length of time as the court thinks
fit.
Further information
A copy of the Breeding of Dogs Act can be
obtained from the Office of Public Sector Information
or a copy can be inspected at the Council offices where you may
also obtain details of the fee, an application form and further
help or advice.
Alternatively, download the
application form here.
You will be contacted in writing on receipt of
the application form and a site visit arranged.
Contact
Environmental Health Commercial Team – Health
and Safety
Mulberry Place (AH)
PO Box 55739
5 Clove Crescent
London E14 1BY
Opening hours are 9am to 5pm, Monday to
Friday
Tel: 020 7364 5008
Fax: 020 7364 6901
Email: healthandsafety@towerhamlets.gov.uk