Buying a new pet? Ask the breeder these questions first
- By Elaine Bird
- 12 December 2019
- North-West Norfolk
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People planning to buy a puppy or kitten from a breeder are being encouraged by The Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk to ask to see their licence and meet their mum in a new campaign called PetCheck.
The licence number should be displayed on any advert, web page or facebook page. New guidance on buying a pet can be found at www.west-norfolk.gov.uk/buyingapet. It’s a guide to protect people’s new puppy, keep their kitten safe and healthy, as well as advice on small mammals, bird, reptiles, amphibians and fish.
Marie Malt, senior licensing officer at the borough council, said: “Lucy’s Law will be introduced next year. This protects young dogs and cats by stopping commercial dealers and pet shops from selling puppies or kittens unless they have bred them themselves. It means anyone buying a pet should be dealing directly with a licensed breeder and can ask to see the mum.
“We have introduced our online guide to buying a pet, which provides some tips for checking that your new puppy or kitten has had the best start to their life. We have also provided a list of local licensed breeders, so people can check their credentials.
“I urge people to look at our website for more details before they get a new pet.”
Anyone breeding more than 3 litters of puppies in a year, or, one litter or more if they meet the business test set out by the animal welfare regulations 2018 must be licensed by their local authority.
Not all people selling kittens will require a licence as they may not earn enough or meet the requirements under the business test set out by the animal welfare regulations 2018. However, some pedigree breeds carry a larger price tag therefore they are more likely to need to be sold by a licensed breeder. If a licence is required it will be issued to the applicant as a pet shop licence.