An animal welfare charity has warned that an ‘overhaul’ of how dog breeding licensing works in Northern Ireland is needed as a Stormont department confirmed there is no legal limit on how many dogs can be kept on puppy farms.
Fifty licensed breeders in the north are estimated to be bringing in around £26million per year in sales from puppies bred on their premises, including one site which has licenses for more than 900 dogs on three separate licenses - understood to be the biggest dog breeding facility in the UK and Ireland.
The north stands alone from England, Scotland and Wales as it has not yet introduced legislation banning the third party sale of puppies, known as Lucy’s Law.
While a Stormont version of the legislation was first proposed in 2021, more than three years later it has yet to be brought before the Assembly.
Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Andrew Muir has said he intends to bring forward a version of the law “within the lifetime of the Assembly mandate”.
The Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (USPCA) welcomed the commitment from Mr Muir to propose the legislation, but added that more needs to be done to ensure licensed breeders can comply with animal welfare standards.
USPCA Chief Executive Nora Smith said: “We welcome the minister’s intention to bring in new legislation to ban the third-party sale of pups and kittens. The USPCA supports the introduction of legislation that protects young and vulnerable companion animals from abuse by criminals and unscrupulous breeders and protects dogs and cats used for breeding in NI.
“However, in addition to new legislation, there also needs to be an overhaul of the existing dog breeding licencing scheme. The current legislation has paved the way for industrialised legal puppy farming in Northern Ireland.
“Last year through a Freedom of Information request we are aware of one legal breeding establishment in NI that houses 900 dogs (800 females and 100 male dogs). Breeding on this industrial scale calls into question the provision of minimum welfare standards and whether the dogs and pups are being kept in conditions that meet the five needs as outlined in the Welfare of Animals Act (2011) and the minimum standards required by the 2013 Dog Breeding Establishments’ regulations with regard to behaviour, socialisation, and enrichment.”
A spokesperson for DAERA confirmed that animal welfare legislation does not currently contain provisions for limits on the number of dogs allowed to be kept by breeders, other than what is specified under their license.
“The legislation does not contain a limit on the number of dogs a licensed breeding establishment can have on a premises,” the spokesperson said.
“However, dog breeding establishments, like all other animal establishments, must be compliant with the Welfare of Animals (Northern Ireland) Act 2011.
“This includes ensuring the five needs of an animal are met; the need for a suitable environment and diet, the need to be able to exhibit normal behaviour patterns, the need to be housed with, or apart from, other animals, and the need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.
“The minister has signalled his intention to bring forward a version of Lucy’s Law within the lifetime of this assembly mandate and work by officials to advance this is ongoing.”
