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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if will bring forward legislative proposals on animal re-homing before the ban on the third party selling of puppies and kittens comes into effect in April 2020.

Legitimate rescue homes do incredible work rescuing and rehoming thousands of sick, abandoned and stray animals each year. I recognise that with the ban on commercial third party sales coming into force, stakeholders are concerned that disreputable dealers could reinvent themselves as rescues. We are actively exploring these issues with the rescue and rehoming sector.

We need to be confident of the benefits and the impacts of any regulations placed on rescue and rehoming centres, particularly on some of the smaller rescues. We will consider proposals once we have fully consulted with the sector and understood the impact of any proposals.

In the meantime, in order to prevent third-party sellers from presenting themselves as rehoming centres, we will work with the Canine and Feline Sector Group and local authorities to develop specific guidance to help distinguish between non-commercial rescue and rehoming centres, which are charities, and pet sellers which are businesses.