Services
Dog Breeding Licence
Who should apply?
A breeding establishment is any premises where the business of breeding dogs for sale is carried on. A person will be presumed to be carrying on the business of breeding dogs for sale where during any twelve month period five or more litters of puppies are born.
A licence may not be issued if the applicant is disqualified under any of the following acts:
- The Breeding of Dogs Act 1973.
- The Pet Animals Act 1951.
- The Protection of Animals (Amendment) Act 1954.
- The Protection of Animals (Cruelty to Dogs) (Scotland) Act 1934.
What are the requirements for a licence?
That bitches are not mated if they are less than one year old.
That bitches do not give birth to more than six litters of puppies each
That bitches do not give birth to puppies before the end of the period of twelve months beginning with the day on which they last gave birth to puppies.
Dogs will be provided with suitable accommodation at all times. Attention must be given to construction and size quarters, number of animals boarded, temperature, lighting, ventilation, cleanliness and exercising facilities.
The dogs will be adequately supplied with suitable food, drink and bedding material, adequately exercised and (so far as is necessary) visited at suitable intervals.
All reasonable precautions will be taken to prevent and control the spread amongst the dogs of infectious or contagious diseases including the provision of isolation facilities.
Appropriate steps will be taken for the protection of the dogs in case of fire or other emergency, including the provision of suitable and sufficient fire fighting equipment.
That all appropriate steps will be taken to ensure that the dogs will be provided with suitable food, drink and bedding material and adequately exercised when being transported to or from the breeding establishment.
Please contact the council for full copy of guidance.
What is the application process?
Anyone wishing to apply must first complete a Dog Breeding Licence application form and return it with the appropriate fee to the address below.
Upon application for a licence, which has not previously been granted the premises must be inspected by a veterinary surgeon and a local authority officer. For subsequent applications the local authority has discretion as to whether the inspection is carried out by a veterinary surgeon or a local authority before determining whether or not to grant a licence.
A separate invoice will be issued to cover the vet's costs once the inspection has taken place. On receipt of this being paid, and the licence conditions being met, your new licence will be sent out.
Once issued, licences will run until the 31st December of that year. Licences run from 1st January - 31st December of any one year.
Environmental Health and Trading Standards,
West Lothian Council,
County Buildings,
High Street,
Linlithgow,
West Lothian,
EH49 7EZ
environmentalhealth@westlothian.gov.uk
Update: 17/10/2011
