Breeders (dog, cat and rabbit)

How to make an application

Submit your application form to the Licensing Authority - links to the application forms and guidance can be found on this page.

An inspection of the premises where the activity will be carried out, will be undertaken. The inspection will cover the following:

the applicant and their relevant experience
the suitability of the premises including overall condition, security, availability of any necessary equipment/facilities, ventilation, cleanliness etc.
staffing ratio and staff experience/qualifications, where applicable
the quality of record keeping
the wellbeing and condition of any animals on site at the time of inspection

Read the guidance on cage/enclosure sizes

Should it be deemed necessary, a further inspection (conducted by a SSPCA inspector or veterinarian) may be instructed, the cost of this is payable by the applicant.

What happens next?

The regulations allow for licensing authorities to issue licenses for one, two or three years' duration.

Considerations to be made before determining the duration of the licence include:

the potential risk of the licence holder failing to meet or comply with the conditions of the licence and the possible consequences for the welfare of any animals on the premises to be licensed
whether the applicant is already operating to higher standards of animal welfare than required by the licence conditions
whether, in the case of dog, cat or rabbit breeders, the applicant is already a member of any UKAS accredited breeder scheme, such as the Kennel Club Assured Breeder Scheme (where they would normally be classed as a lower risk)
the knowledge and experience of the applicant in relation to the activity to be licensed
in the case of licence renewals, whether the applicant has a history of good compliance and consistently operates to and demonstrates high animal welfare standards

The regulations also require the licensing authority to publish a register of licence holders for each of the licensable activities. This is to enable prospective buyers of pet animals to quickly and easily check whether a breeder or seller is licensed to operate as such.

Offences

It will be considered an offence to:

undertake a licensable activity without an appropriate licence issued by the local authority
to provide to an inspector or local authority, information which the applicant knows, or ought reasonably to have known, is false or misleading
fail to comply with the general or relevant specific licence conditions issued
obstruct any appointed inspector to enforce the regulations
fail to comply with any reasonable request from an inspector to facilitate the identification and examination of an animal and the taking of samples

Animal licences