Volume 1.
Should you be a licensed or unlicensed breeder ?
Dog breeding is not simply another dog welfare topic. You could say it is literally the mother of dog welfare issues, it’s where many of the problems we discuss actually begin.
Some dog breeding practices can be perfectly legal, commercially successful and socially accepted, yet still raise serious animal welfare concerns.
And some dog breeders should be licensed but aren’t, so there’s no accountability.
Naturewatch Foundation, a credible UK charity that independently investigates and researches a wide range of animal welfare issues, published findings on 21 September 2026 estimating that up to 90% of puppies in the UK originate from sources outside the licensed dog breeding system.
What is a licensed dog breeder?
In England, a licence is required when someone breeds three or more litters within any 12-month period and sells any of the puppies, and/or when someone breeds and sells puppies as a business, regardless of the number of litters produced.
What is an unlicensed dog breeder?
Anyone who breeds dogs but does not fall under the above licensing requirements, as well as anyone who does fall under those requirements but does not hold a licence, which is illegal.
As usual, there are widespread concerns that our current legislation and enforcement are nowhere near effective enough. It’s a huge issue that is often right in front of us, and yet we don’t see it, or are unaware of what we are seeing.
Myself included, as with any other dog lover, the sight of a cute puppy blinds you from the big picture, but also, once a puppy has entered into life, they are utterly innocent, and they require a loving home, regardless of how they have arrived.
If a dog arrives at Dog World requiring some help, we are never going to question by what means that dog was bred, if it needs help we will if we can.
Obviously, the focus needs to be on restricting types of breeding that shouldn’t be happening in the first place, and importantly, the conditions of all aspects of breeding, but both legislation and enforcement require a major overhaul.
For example, irresponsible breeding that apparently puts fashionable looks before a breed’s long-term health, the cash cow scenario where mothers are literally only kept as farming assets, and issues with fertility clinics – which many dog owners are probably unaware of.
This topic is so big, this post, volume 1, is talking about unlicensed breeding.
We have heard numerous times, “I want my girl to experience motherhood just once, before I have her spayed”.
And we are not going to be judgemental on that, but just so people know, as far as we are aware, there is no evidence that suggests a bitch receives any physical, mental or emotional benefit from having a litter. It does seem a human concept that we choose to attach to our dogs.
By far the bigger concern is people breeding puppies on a professional scale, operating entirely under the radar of licensing authorities and any animal welfare enforcement, because they are simply not known.
Being under the radar means a lack of statistics or evidence of the size of the problem, even if it’s logical that if we know roughly how many puppies enter the UK dog population, and deduct the numbers from known sources, it should give us a reasonable indication of how many originate from sources we know little or nothing about.
We need more methods of how to calculate the size of the problem.
DOG WORLD’S PRACTICAL SUGGESTION
We think this would be a good start, with minimal work required to our current system, before major updates to legislation can be worked on and put in place.
1. Its already law that whoever is selling a puppy, regardless of being a licensed or unlicensed breeder, needs to microchip the dog and give basic information to a database. The registered keeper’s name, the keeper’s home address, and contact details.
2. Each database should operate a simple MATCH or NO MATCH system. (to be explained.)
3. Any person, any potential puppy buyer, can already buy their own microchip reader online for less than £10.
4. Anyone can already read the number of any microchip, and search that number being valid at a database.
5. The database cannot give you the name and address or contact details that are recorded, as that would breach the Data Protection Act. However, with a MATCH or NO MATCH system, the buyer can type in the details of a seller, and find if it’s a match or no match. Banks already use this system, when you pay someone online using the details they have already given you.
6. This would not require to be compulsory, as not all people will find this process easy for them to do, but the point would be, a seller would need to be ready for this system just in case.
7. This system then automatically collects data of who is selling puppies, when, how often, and age, and is evidence of if someone should require a licence or not.
8. The checks would not need to prove illegal breeding. They would provide evidence that could trigger an investigation by the licensing authority.
9. From a buyer’s first communication with a seller, they could ask, “If I bought a puppy, would you mind if I used the MATCH or NO MATCH system?” This could be asked regardless of whether the buyer actually intends to use it. If the seller refuses, that should be considered a red flag.
10. This would make puppy selling more transparent, give buyers a way to check information, and help identify breeders who may be operating commercially without a licence.
11. This system would also give reassurance on buying any dog that it isn’t stolen, similar to a check buying a car.
12. And an added use would be when places like Dog World are occasionally given a lost dog, to help identify the person who comes to collect.
