New laws for dog breeding

The Animal Welfare Act (2006) is about to undergo some major changes with regards to dog breeders. In today's blog, we go through what is going to change come October 1st ... 

The new legislation, entitled Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations, will revoke legislation currently in place, such as the Pet Animals Act 1951, Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963, and Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999. The changes are due to the number of significant advances in the understanding of dog behaviour and welfare in recent years, as a large number of acts that pre-date the Animal Welfare Act (2006) are severely obsolete. 

So, what is happening? 

A single licence for pet selling, dog breeding and animal boarding establishments – including home boarders and day-care establishments – will be introduced. These licences will be issued for a fixed term, set at any point in the year, with the aim of preventing a backlog of inspections at any one time. Local authorities will be able to use a risk-based approach to licensing, meaning lower risk and high performing operators will be allowed a longer licence and fewer inspections. It is hoped that this will encourage licence holders to constantly work to high standards.

The sale of puppies below the age of eight weeks will be prohibited in all cases. Furthermore, anyone breeding three or more litters per year will now require a licence – lowered from the previous five or more litters. These changes mean that if you breed from your dog to make a profit – even if the dog in question is your pet – your local authority licensing department may deem you to be "selling dogs as a business," and the rules will be applicable to you. If in doubt, contact your local council.

The way in which dogs can be advertised for sale, and how sales records must be kept will be clearly outlined with this new law. Any dog kept or sold must have a record kept of him, showing the following details:

• The dog's full name
• A record of whether the dog was bred or purchased
• The sex of the dog
• The dog's age
• Information on the dog's veterinary records and any veterinary treatment they have undergone
• If they are currently undergoing veterinary treatment, this must be recorded, and, if relevant, that the dog is not to be sold
• The dog's date of birth – or the date the dog was acquired
• The date on which the dog was sold to a new owner
• If relevant, the date of the dog's death 
• Records should be retained for at least six years

The full list of criteria that must be adhered to when advertising a dog for sale includes the following:

• A breeder licence number
• Name of the local authority that issued the licence
• A clear, recognisable photo of the specific dog for sale
• The age of the dog offered for sale
• The dog's country of origin and country of residence

Dog owners will soon be able to check whether an establishment has a licence, as well as see what star-rating – on a scale of one to five – it has been awarded. 

Who must now be licensed?

To summarise, the following concerns will require a licence. 

• Boarding kennel
• 'At-home' boarding establishment
• Breeders – anyone breeding three or more litters per year
• Doggy day-care provider
• Anybody selling dogs they did not breed themselves – including pet shops

Those that do not require a licence are: dog walkers, groomers and hydrotherapists. 

We hope that this has helped clarify the changes next month. If you have any questions, be sure to contact your local council.

You ain't nothin' but a hound dog

We all love our creature comforts. They can help us to unwind after a long day, and make us feel content. And the same goes for dogs! 

The living quarters of Madrid's 22-strong Police dog force underwent a renovation earlier this year, in order to reduce stress and improve the overall health of these hard-working pups. The new kennels include a patio where they can lie in the shade during the summer months, a green play zone, and heated beds – which a council spokesman said will help to reduce energy bills by 80%. The dogs will also be treated to music therapy sessions, where they will be played Mozart. 

Photo credit: Andrew Winning/Reuters from The Guardian

It has been shown in a number of studies that playing classical music to dogs can help lower their stress levels. A study conducted by the Scottish SPCA back in 2015 showed that a dog's stress levels significantly decreased after hearing classical music. This non-invasive research was conducted in its own kennels, where they monitored the dogs' heart rates, collected saliva samples, and monitored their behaviour over a week. Although this study yielded positive results initially, at the end of the week, the dogs' heart rates and behaviours associated with kennel stress had returned to normal, as they had become accustomed to the classical music.

A further study in 2017, also by the Scottish SPCA, and the University of Glasgow, looked at the effects that different genres of music had when played to dogs. Professor Neil Evans said of the research;

"Overall, the response to different genres was mixed, highlighting the possibility that, like humans, our canine friends have their own individual music preferences. That said, reggae music and soft rock showed the highest positive changes in behaviour."

Combined, these two research projects have helped to highlight the importance of music in order to help the dogs in its care feel as relaxed as they can. Having shown that the key is to avoid habituation, the Scottish SPCA will be investing in sound systems for all of its kennels – much like the Spanish Police force.

With the amount of hard work that police dogs undertake, not to mention how long some pups are kept in kennels whilst they wait for their new forever home, it's no wonder that our canine companions like to let there fur down to some music!