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Report highlights shocking state of UK dog breeding market
Puppy farming
88 per cent of puppies bred every year in the UK are born to unlicensed breeders.

Vast numbers of puppies born to unlicensed breeders

Almost 90 per cent of all puppies born in the UK are born to unlicensed breeders, according to a report published by Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.

Published today, the report on Licensed Dog Breeding in Great Britain exposes a shocking lack of regulation in the UK dog breeding market.

Battersea believes that this lack of regulation could be helping breeders and dealers sell dogs from unsuitable premises well before the puppies are ready to leave their mothers.

Dog breeding enforcement is undertaken by Local Authorities who issue breeding licences to anyone selling puppies commercially, or producing five or more litters per year. Local Authorities also regularly inspect the premises of dog breeders.

The report shows that less than 12 per cent of puppies born in Great Britain every year are bred by licensed breeders, meaning that 88 per cent of puppies bred are born to unlicensed breeders.

It also reveals that over a third of Local Authorities do not have any licensed breeders - with 77 per cent not issuing any licences at all to new breeders in 2014.

Commenting on the figures, Battersea's chief executive, Claire Horton, said:  “When you’re getting a new puppy, how can you be sure that you’re getting your dog from a responsible breeder when our own national breeding licence system is in such a mess?

"The gaping holes in enforcement of breeding legislation leave the door wide open for backstreet breeders to own the market and pocket huge profits from overbreeding, without a thought for the welfare of the animals in their care.

“Every day Battersea takes in dogs that have been abandoned by owners who bought them online or from ‘the man down the street’, which have come from unknown breeding premises. We’re seriously concerned that there’s no nationwide overview of dog breeding and no consistency amongst Local Authorities when it comes to this issue.”

The Battersea Breeding report also showed vast discrepancies between different Local Authorities and licence fee structures - with some charging  32 times as much as others for the same service.

Battersea's advice for anyone seeking a puppy is to never buy online. 

"Go to a rescue centre or reputable breeder," says Claire. "Always see the puppy with its mum and make sure they're both healthy and the puppy is at least eight weeks old."

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.