“The process must be licensed and regulated, making the industry more transparent" - Neil Parish MP.

Government urged to make industry more transparent

MPs have backed calls to ban third party sales of dogs, recommending they should only be available to buy from licensed breeders and approved rehoming centres.

The recommendation is highlighted in the environment, food and rural affairs committee (EfraCom) report into animal welfare in England, which focusses on domestic pets.

Released on Wednesday (16 November), the report follows a parliamentary inquiry which examined the effectiveness and enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

In the report, the EfraCom writes: 'Responsible breeders would never sell through a pet shop licence holder. The process of selling through a third party seller has an unavoidable negative impact upon the welfare of puppies. It also distances the purchaser from the environment in which their puppy was bred.

‘Banning third party sales so that the public bought directly from breeders would bring public scrutiny to bear on breeders, thereby improving the welfare conditions of puppies.

‘We recommend that the Government ban third party sales of dogs. Dogs should only be available from licensed, regulated breeders or approved rehoming organisations.’

Commenting on the recommendation, Neil Parish MP said: “There are many good, responsible breeders of dogs and cats in the UK. Sadly some unscrupulous breeders and pet dealers care more about lining their pockets than they do about looking after the welfare of animals.

“The process must be licensed and regulated, making the industry more transparent and ensuring that animals can be traced back to their breeders.”

In addition to a ban on pet shop sales, the report also calls on the government to make compulsory that all internet adverts include the registration or license number of the seller.

However, MPs have been heavily criticised for suggesting the RSPCA should ‘step back from prosecutions’.

The report calls for the RSPCA to withdraw from acting as a private prosecutor when there are statutory bodies in place to carry out the role.