The Kennel Club is campaigning to end the cruel practice of puppy farming.

The Kennel Club defines puppy farmers as intensive volume breeders who have little regard or consideration for the basic needs and care for the dogs concerned.
Puppy farmers will:

• Separate puppies from their mothers too early
• Ignore guidelines about the maximum frequency of litters
• Sell puppies at ‘neutral’ locations instead of from their own homes
• Keep the puppies in poor conditions in order to save money
• Fail to socialise the puppies
• Fail to follow recommended breed specific health schemes
• Fail to ensure their pups are immunised and wormed
• Sell their breeding stock to pet shops

The Kennel Club sits as part of the Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG), a group made up of leading animal welfare organisations and the Government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), working to improve the standards of and promote responsible pet advertising. Visit www.paag.org.uk if you are looking to buy a pet or if you have recently purchased an animal. The consumer advice pages cover a wide range of topics from “where to get a Labrador puppy” to “how to care for your rabbit”. Anyone who has bought an animal from a classified advert or website that has turned out to be a poorly or problem pet is advised to contact Consumer Direct on 08454 040506 or visit their website www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/Consumerrights/index.htm .

The Kennel Club is calling for:

1. The standards and principles of the Kennel Club Assured Breeder Scheme (formerly the Accredited Breeder Scheme) to be mandatory throughout the country. Our Assured Breeder Scheme strives to raise breeding standards and indicate responsible breeders to potential puppy-buyers. Assured Breeders offer health tests, follow KC breed standards and agree to allow KC Inspectors’ access to their premises for spot-checks.
2. A review of the Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999, to prohibit the sale of puppies in pet shops under the Animal Welfare Act.
3. The Breeding of Dogs Act 1973 (as amended by the Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999) to be consistently enforced across all UK authorities.

In 2009, we presented a petition to the government in support of these principles, which contained over 15,000 signatures.

We are committed to educating the public on this issue so that puppy buyers will know how to distinguish clearly between responsible breeders and puppy farmers. We are also working to inform Local Authorities about the resources available to prosecute breeders suspected of bad practice.

Campaign update

The Welsh Assembly is currently consulting on the future of dog breeding in Wales. The Kennel Club is rallying all dog breeders and lovers to respond. Consultation documents and information can be found on the Welsh Assembly website at www.wales.gov.uk/animalwelfare. Click here for more information on the Welsh Assembly Animal Welfare (Breeding of Dogs) (Wales) Regulations 2012.

What can I do?

• WESTMINSTER - write to your MP asking them to sign EDM 1281: Puppy Farms and Animal Welfare.
• WALES - write to your AM with your views on the Welsh Assembly Government proposals regarding dog breeding.
• Sign the Kennel Club's online petition to help abolish puppy farming.

Useful links

• The Kennel Club has devised a set of guidelines to help you ensure that you don't buy from a puppy farmer. Click here to read them.
• Search for Puppy Farming Study Group contacts
• Click here to read the Kennel Club's press releases on puppy farming
• Back to main Kennel Club campaigns page

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Categories:

KC Dog and Dog Law, Kennel Club Issue Statements, Kennel Club 

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