New Puppy Legislation A Step In Right Direction, But Must Be Fully Resourced, Say Leading Vets
9 years ago 
1247 views
In response to the announcement today (Thursday 2 February) from Defra regarding new legislation around animal establishment licensing in England, Gudrun Ravetz, President of the British Veterinary Association, said:
“This is a significant step in the right direction to improve the welfare of puppies and dogs in the UK, an issue our members are extremely concerned about as increasing numbers of poorly bred puppies are brought into veterinary practices.
“Poorly bred and badly socialised puppies cause terrible health and welfare problems for dogs so it is right that Defra has made irresponsible dog breeding a priority. We particularly welcome the move to make the sale of a puppy under eight weeks illegal, the reduction in the number of litters bred requiring a formal breeder’s licence, and the moves towards a single animal activities licence. In the future we would also like to see that anyone breeding from a dog should be required to register with their local authority.
“For these new measures to work in practice local authorities must have the necessary resources and support to fully enforce the legislation, supported by local veterinary expertise.
“We hope the new legislation will encourage owners to stop and think about where they’re getting their puppies from to tackle irresponsible breeding both at home and abroad. Prospective owners should do their homework and always use the puppy contract and information pack to make sure they ask breeders the right questions for a happy, healthy puppy.”
More from BVA
- BVA Live 2026: programme line-up announced
- Be a good egg this Easter: Hide chocolate away from your pets, vets warn
- Updated neutering guidance from BVA and BSAVA moves away from one-size-fits-all approach
- Cambridge Vet School decision hugely positive, BVA says
- BVA’s Animal Welfare Foundation is searching for new trustees and committee members to help steer its future
3 days ago