Dog breeding licence
If you do either of the following you will need a dog breeding licence under The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018
- Breed three or more litters of puppies in any 12-month period;
- Breed dogs and advertise a business of selling dogs
Dog breeding licences are valid for one, two or three years based on a risk assessment. The more conditions you meet, the better chance you have of being granted a longer licence.
In order to secure a dog breeding licence, your business must meet the conditions in the legislation and the guidance set by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA):
- General conditions (Schedule 2 of the legislation)
- Specific conditions for breeding dogs (Schedule 6 of the legislation)
- DEFRA guidance notes
A Council officer or vet may inspect your premises before giving you a licence, and any time after the licence is granted. Some visits will be unannounced as required by the legislation.
The more conditions you meet, the better chance you have of being granted a longer licence.
Apply for a dog breeding licence
To apply for a dog breeding licence, please complete the following steps:
- Read the legislation
- Check the list of people who cannot apply for a licence (Schedule 8)
- Read the specific DEFRA guidance notes issued for your licence
- Check the licence fee using our fees table
- Fill out our Animal Licence application form online and pay.
We will take the full payment when you apply. If your licence is not granted, part of your licence fee will be refunded to you.
Vary a licence
If you wish to vary your licence, please email ehl@horsham.gov.uk giving full details.
If you breach your dog breeding licence or breed dogs without one, you could be fined.
If you stop or delay an inspection your licence can be taken away and you could be banned from breeding dogs.
For more details, please read the legislation.
Complusory Microchipping Laws - Cats and Dogs
From 6 April 2016 it became compulsory for dog owners to ensure their dogs are microchipped; dogs must be fitted with a microchip and registered on a database by the age of 8 weeks old.
New laws coming into force on 10 June 2024, will require cats in England to be microchipped and registered on a database by the time they reach 20 weeks old.
For more information Visit The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) website.