Licensing
Dog breeding
Establishments used for the breeding of dogs are controlled by the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973.
No one can keep a breeding establishment without first obtaining a licence from us as their licensing authority.
A breeding establishment means any premises where a bitch is kept for the purposes of breeding for sale.
Please call the licensing team for an application form or for more information.
Licensing of breeding establishments
Applications for a licence must be made to us, 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 of £160 which must be paid at the time the application is made. The cost of the Veterinary Inspection will be the responsibility of the applicant, and will be payable before the licence is issued.
Where a licence is granted, that licence and any subsequent licence will expire on 31 December of the year to which the licence relates and must be renewed before that date if the premises is to continue as a dog breeding establishment.
Council duties
Before being granted a licence the applicant must be able to demonstrate to our 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
- That 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
- That all reasonable precautions will be taken to prevent and control the spread amongst the dogs of infectious or contagious diseases, including the provision of isolation facilities
- That 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
That all appropriate steps will be taken to make sure that the dogs are 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 us.
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 which a licence is subject to may appeal to the Magistrates Court and the courts may give such directions regarding the licence or its conditions as it thinks proper.
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 inspector 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 defendants licence may be cancelled and they may be disqualified from keeping a dog breeding establishment for such length of time as the court thinks fit.
Licence Application Form for Dog Breeding - Word 
136K
Licence Application Form for Dog Breeding - PDF 
42K
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Standard conditions
Further information
Copies of the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973 and other legislation mentioned in this information leaflet can be purchased from the Office of Public Sector Information website.
