Dorset Council fined two unlicensed dog breeders and a home boarder £4,400 in October. Anyone earning £1,000 a year from animals may need a licence.
Dorset Council fined two unlicensed dog breeders and a home dog boarder a total of £4,400 in October.
The council gave the figures in a warning published on 5 November. It is urging anyone who makes money from animals to check whether they need a licence. That includes people selling a single litter of puppies.
The council has not named the breeders or the boarder.
The three penalty notices
| Penalty | Reason |
|---|---|
| £1,725 | Unlicensed dog breeding |
| £1,425 | Unlicensed dog breeding |
| £1,250 | A home dog boarder breaking the conditions of its licence |
In both breeding cases, the council said, the investigation began with concerns raised by people who had bought puppies.
Penalty notices can reach £5,000 per offence. The council said more serious cases go to court.
Who needs a licence
The council says the law applies to individuals as well as businesses and charities. You are likely to need a licence if you earn £1,000 or more a year from activities such as:
- selling puppies or other animals as pets, even from one litter
- boarding dogs, at home or at a premises, including occasional paid boarding
- hiring out horses for riding, pony rides or donkey rides
- showing animals at school visits, parties or fairs
Some exemptions apply. Breeders also need a licence if they breed three or more litters a year, unless they can show none of the puppies were sold.
Cllr Matt Bell, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Prevention and Communities, said: “With the price of puppies often reaching hundreds or even thousands of pounds, it’s easy to go over the £1,000 threshold.”
He added: “Most people do the right thing, but where they don’t, we will take action to protect animals across Dorset.”
What a licence costs
A licence to breed dogs or to sell animals as pets costs £538.50 in Dorset, according to the council’s fee tables for dog breeding and pet sales. That is £480 for administration and inspection plus a £58.50 licence fee. Breeders pay vet fees on top.
The council says inspections usually take two to three hours and may involve a vet, particularly for dog breeding. A licence can last up to three years.
What it means for you
If you are buying a puppy this winter, the council’s advice is to use only licensed sellers. You can:
- check whether a seller holds a Dorset Council licence online
- report a breeder you think is unlicensed or running a puppy farm, with photos or advert links if you have them
The council’s pet sales page also says nobody may sell puppies or kittens they have not bred themselves, or sell pets in public places such as a market stall.
If your dog is expecting a litter, the council says a licence may be needed before breeding takes place if sales are likely to pass £1,000. Contact Environmental Health on 01305 221000 or through the animal licences page.
If you board friends’ dogs for money, occasional paid boarding counts once the year’s income passes £1,000.
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