It is a well-known fact that dogs are being over-bred in the UK and that the crisis is getting worse. Animal shelters and rescue societies are unable to keep up with the demand of unwanted dogs. The sad fact is, more dogs are relinquished than adopted. So the question is, why?

For much of the general populous, breeding is seen as an easy and quick way to make money.  For those people, dogs are disposable and are not kept as pets. When these dogs can no longer be bred from, they are relinquished, or worse, and replaced.

The law is too flimsy when it comes to breeding. So, how can you help? Sign this petition and be the voice for those who cannot speak. Spread the word and ask others to sign and share.  A change in the law is long overdue and together we can bring about that change. 

The current law states a person must have a dog breeding licence if they breed five or more puppy litters during any twelve month period. The law also places limits on the frequency and timing of breeding from a bitch. Bitches cannot be mated before they are a year old, they must have no more than six litters in a lifetime and can only have one litter every twelve months.

This is a good start but, clearly, it is not enough.   We propose the following changes: 

Change: If a person breeds more than one litter per year, they must hold a licence. Failure to do so would result in high fines.

Reason: Multiple litters per year cannot be regarded as a "hobby breeding".

Change: All puppies MUST be micro chipped with their own unique number before leaving the mother. Failure to do so would result in high fines and breeding licence revoked for 5 years.

Reason: This will make it possible to regulate the population at any time.

Change: All puppies must be vet checked before leaving the mother. Failure to do so would result in high fines and breeding licence revoked permanently.

Change: Any one bitch should have no more than one litter per year and no more than three litters in her lifetime. No one breeder should produce more than six litters per year. Failure to do so would result in high fines and breeding licence revoked for 5 years for the first offence and permanent revocation for following offences.

Reason: In order to reduce the population there must be a restriction on litter numbers for the next five years. The numbers should then be reviewed every five years and increased or decreased in accordance with the current population at that time.

Change: No one breeder should produce more than six litters per year. This would also be reviewed every five years and increased or decreased in accordance with the current population. Failure to do so would result in high fines and breeding licence revoked for five years.

Change: All dogs and bitches must have medical checks prior to being bred from to check for any conditions common in the breed and to ensure they are fit to endure the physical side of the breeding process. They must also have a veterinary check up every twelve months.

Punishment: Failure to do so would result in high fines and breeding licence revoked permanently.

Change: Should a dog or bitch be found to have a genetic medical condition, where the chances of the condition being passed on to offspring are higher than 50%, the dog or bitch in question must be neutered or spayed within twelve months. Failure to do so would result in high fines and breeding licence revoked permanently.

Reason: A concentrated effort to wipe out many genetic conditions in order to ensure future generations are as healthy as possible.

Change: Breeder, vet check and microchip records for all dames, sires and offspring must be kept and made available to prospective owners of the puppies. A signed photocopy of the purchased puppy's records must be provided to the buyer at the point of purchase. Failure to do so would result in high fines and a ban on keeping animals for 3-5 years.

Change: Anyone who purchases a puppy without first asking for and viewing the above records or does not acquire a copy of these must also be subject to penalty.

Reason: Not only is it the breeder’s responsibility to ensure the well-being of our nation’s dogs, but it is also the responsibility of the buyer.

We understand that some breeders do care for their dogs, bitches and puppies and that they do care about the profession they have chosen.  We understand that this would affect their lives.  However, few of the breeders today fall into this category. The majority of new litters are created by "backyard breeders".   It is in the interests of responsible breeders to get the irresponsible breeders under control.   We hope that by placing responsibility onto the buyers themselves, many buyers will be more aware of where their puppy comes from, instead of turning a blind eye to today's crisis.

Thank you for taking the time to read though this. We hope you feel strongly enough to tackle this. Be the change! Be the voice! Be the difference!