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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department plans to take to regulate the use of stud dogs in dog breeding.

Under The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 (the 2018 Regulations) anyone in the business of breeding and selling dogs and/or who breeds three or more litters in a 12-month period needs to have a valid licence from their local authority. Licensed breeders who own and use stud dogs as part of their breeding activity must provide for their welfare in line with the 2018 Regulations’ licensing conditions.

The Government is considering the findings of its post-implementation review of the 2018 Regulations and the Animal Welfare Committee’s opinion on the welfare implications of specialised canine reproductive practices and will outline any next steps in due course.