UK Government urged to take action on puppy farming
New research by Naturewatch Foundation has revealed that as many as nine in ten puppies in the UK could be bred outside of licensed breeding regulations. This raises concerns about the regulation and traceability of the UK’s puppy trade.
The investigation, which was based on Freedom of Information requests to local authorities in the UK and Republic of Ireland, found that only 10.5-14% of UK puppies are estimated to come from licensed breeders. This means that 86-89.5% of puppies could be coming from unregulated sources such as breeders who fall below the legal licensing threshold, illegal breeders, and puppy smuggling operations.
As a result, Naturewatch Foundation is urging the UK Government to fulfill its promise to “end puppy farming” and to bring forward its public consultation on dog breeding regulation in England.
The research also revealed concerns about the traceability of breeding dogs, with over 5,500 fewer female breeding dogs recorded in the system compared to Naturewatch Foundation’s 2025 research. This raises questions about the whereabouts of these breeding dogs and their welfare.
Furthermore, the investigation highlighted the varying scale of licensed breeding operations across the UK and Ireland. While the majority of licensed breeders were found to have 10 or fewer breeding dogs, there are some with more than 50 breeding dogs, with the largest being authorized to keep 300 dogs for breeding.
The UK Government made a promise to “end puppy farming” in its 2025 Animal Welfare Strategy for England and pledged to consult on improving dog breeding regulations. However, Naturewatch Foundation is concerned about the lack of progress since the strategy was published and is calling on the Government to fulfill its promise without delay.
Natalie Harney, Campaign Manager at Naturewatch Foundation, stated, “We are deeply concerned that the majority of the puppy trade is taking place outside of regulation. While the current system is not perfect, it provides some level of oversight to promote animal welfare and ensure accountability.”
Harney added, “The reality is that we have very little visibility of where most puppies are coming from, how they are being bred, or the conditions in which they and their parents are being kept. This uncertainty creates risks not only for the dogs but also for the public. These findings paint a worrying picture of the UK’s puppy trade and show why the government must urgently move forward with its commitment to end puppy farming. Every dog deserves the best possible start in life.”
