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Animal Breeding: Licensing

Asked by Andrew RosindellReform UKDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled Answered 10 July 2025UIN 64718

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has considered reforming the Licensing of Activities Involving Animals Regulations 2018 to introduce a tiered system that distinguishes between (a) low and (b) high volume breeders.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 require anyone in the business of breeding and selling dogs and/or who breeds three or more litters in a twelve-month period to hold a valid licence.

Defra has completed a post-implementation review of the Regulations which can be found here. The Government is considering the findings and will be outlining more detail on next steps in due course.

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