Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she intends to incorporate the Innate Health Assessment of dog breeds in future statutory licensing conditions for dog breeders.

The Innate Health Assessment tool has been created by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare to tackle suffering caused by extreme physical body shapes in dogs. This voluntary tool can be used by breeders, dog owners or prospective dog owners to check any dog’s innate health characteristics and their suitability to breed and/or acquire, regardless of breed or type.

The Government published its Animal Welfare Strategy on 22 December 2025, outlining plans to take coordinated action to improve the welfare of pets. This includes the commitment to end the low welfare breeding of dogs and to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform.

Defra recognises the importance of genetic health in dogs and supports education of owners and breeders to promote responsible breeding.