Breeding of dogs

If you breed dogs for commercial purposes you will require a licence issued by the council. A breeding establishment for dogs is defined as:

"Any premises which carries on a business of breeding dogs for sale"

Matters for consideration

In deciding whether or not to grant a licence the local authority must consider the following:

• that the dogs will at all times be kept in accommodation suitable as respects 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 visited at suitable intervals;
• that all reasonable precautions will be taken to prevent and control the spread among dogs of infectious or contagious diseases;
• that appropriate steps will be taken for the protection of the dogs in case of fire or other emergency;
• that all steps will be taken to secure that the dogs will be provided with suitable food, drink and bedding material and adequately exercised when being transported to or from breeding establishments;
• that bitches are not mated if they are less than one year old;
• that bitches do not give birth to more than six litters of puppies each;
• that bitches do not give birth to puppies before the end of the twelve months beginning with the day on which they last gave birth to puppies; and
• that accurate records in a form prescribed by regulations are kept at the premises and made available for inspection by authorised officers.

Licences
Licences operate annually between 1 January and 31 December.

Licenses can be applied for part way through the year and in such cases the licence will cover the rest of the year until 31 December.

Breeding establishments can only operate once in receipt of a valid licence. For details of the current fees click here. Fees & charges

Please click on the following link for an application form (9Kb). Dog Breeding Application Form

On the death of a licence holder, licences pass to his/her personal representative for a period of three months from the day of his death and then expire.

Conditions

On granting a licence the Local Authority must specify such conditions as appear necessary or expedient to achieve the objectives above as specified in the legislation. Guidance and model conditions for dog breeding establishments have been issued jointly by:

• British Veterinary Association
• Chartered Institute of Environmental Health
• Local Government Association

These model conditions have been adopted by Tandridge District Council

Disqualification and cancellation
In the case of a successful conviction for offences under this Act, a Court can order the cancellation of the licence and disqualify the convicted person from keeping a Breeding Establishment, and impose imprisonment for a period of three months and fines not exceeding level three, as it sees fit.

Power of Entry
Council Officers, Veterinary Surgeons or Practitioners authorised in writing by the council may,

• Upon producing such authorisation, enter any licensed Dog Breeding Establishment for purposes of carrying out an inspection.
• Persons wilfully obstructing or delaying authorised officers are liable on conviction to a fine of level three.

Power of Entry to premises suspected of operating without a licence may be obtained by applying to a Justice of the Peace for a Warrant to enter that establishment.