Response 4057506

Response to request for information

Reference

4057506

Response date

21 July 2026

Request

Please provide the following information for dog breeding licensing only. Unless otherwise stated, please provide information for the period 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026. Where requested, please provide a snapshot as at 31 March 2026.

Where your authority does not hold a particular figure, please state "not held" rather than leaving the response blank. Where figures are estimates, please identify them as estimates. Where categories overlap, please explain this in your response.

1. In which team or department does responsibility for animal activity licensing sit?
2. How many active dog breeding licences did your authority have as at 31 March 2026? If your authority records the number of licensed dog breeders separately from the number of active licences, please also provide that figure.
3. Of the active dog breeding licences as at 31 March 2026, how many were issued for:
   • One year
   • Two years
   • Three years
4. Between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, how many new dog breeding licence applications were:
   • Received
   • Approved
   • Refused
   • Withdrawn
5. Between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, how many dog breeding licence renewal applications were:
   • Received
   • Approved
   • Refused
   • Withdrawn
6. For any refused new or renewal applications, please provide the reason for refusal.
7. Between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, how many inspections were carried out in relation to:
   • New dog breeding licence applications
   • Dog breeding licence renewal applications
   • Interim, additional, unannounced or compliance inspections outside the grant/renewal process
8. Between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, how many complaints, allegations, service requests or intelligence reports did your authority receive relating to dog breeding?
9. Of these complaints, allegations, service requests or intelligence reports, how many related to:
   • Alleged or suspected unlicensed dog breeding
   • Complaints or allegations about licensed dog breeders
   • Other dog breeding-related concerns (for example, noise, sickness in puppy)
10. How many complaints, allegations, service requests or intelligence reports resulted in a physical visit or inspection to a site or premises? Please split, where held, between:
    • Licensed dog breeders
    • Alleged or suspected unlicensed dog breeders
11. How many complaints, allegations, service requests or intelligence reports were investigated but did not result in a physical visit or inspection?
12. Where complaints, allegations, service requests or intelligence reports were investigated without a physical visit, please briefly describe the main method or methods used.
13. Of the complaints, allegations, service requests or intelligence reports received, how many were recorded as:
    • Founded/substantiated
    • Unfounded/unsubstantiated
    • No further action
    • Still under investigation at 31 March 2026
14. How many alleged or suspected unlicensed breeders investigated during the period subsequently applied for a dog breeding licence?
15. Between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, how many enforcement actions were taken in relation to dog breeding following complaints, allegations, visits, inspections, grant applications or renewal applications? Please provide numbers for:
    • Written warnings
    • Improvement Notices
    • Fixed Penalty Notices
    • Licence variations
    • Licence suspensions
    • Licence revocations
    • Prosecutions commenced
    • Referrals/reports to the RSPCA, SSPCA, USPCA or another enforcement body
16. How many prosecutions relating to dog breeding were undertaken or concluded during the period, and which team recorded or led those prosecutions?
17. For each concluded prosecution, please provide, where held:
    • Whether the case related to a licensed or unlicensed breeder
    • Offence type
    • Outcome
    • Fine
    • Costs awarded
    • Disqualification order
    • Proceeds of Crime Act/confiscation order, if applicable
18. Does your authority undertake any online proactive monitoring of puppy adverts, dog breeding adverts or social media sales activity as part of dog breeding licensing or enforcement work? If yes, please state which platforms or sources are monitored, where held.
19. How many full-time equivalent staff are involved in animal activity licensing work, and what are the job titles of officers undertaking dog breeding inspections, visits or complaint investigations? Please also state whether your authority has a dedicated animal welfare, animal health, animal licensing or equivalent officer post responsible for animal licensing and welfare work.
20. For each officer undertaking dog breeding inspections, visits or complaint investigations, please provide:
    • The name of any OFQUAL-approved or other formal animal licensing training course completed
    • The course provider
    • A brief description of the practical element of the course, where held.

Thank you for your assistance. We appreciate the time taken to compile this information and look forward to receiving your response within the statutory timeframe.

Response

1. In which team or department does responsibility for animal activity licensing sit? Environmental Health
2. How many active dog breeding licences did your authority have as at 31 March 2026? If your authority records the number of licensed dog breeders separately from the number of active licences, please also provide that figure. 3
3. Of the active dog breeding licences as at 31 March 2026, how many were issued for:
   • One year Zero
   • Two years Zero
   • Three years 3
4. Between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, how many new dog breeding licence applications were:
   • Received Zero
   • Approved Zero
   • Refused Zero
   • Withdrawn Zero
5. Between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, how many dog breeding licence renewal applications were:
   • Received 1
   • Approved 1
   • Refused Zero
   • Withdrawn Zero
6. For any refused new or renewal applications, please provide the reason for refusal. Not Applicable
7. Between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, how many inspections were carried out in relation to:
   • New dog breeding licence applications 1
   • Dog breeding licence renewal applications 1
   • Interim, additional, unannounced or compliance inspections outside the grant/renewal process Zero
8. Between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, how many complaints, allegations, service requests or intelligence reports did your authority receive relating to dog breeding? 2
9. Of these complaints, allegations, service requests or intelligence reports, how many related to:
   • Alleged or suspected unlicensed dog breeding 2
   • Complaints or allegations about licensed dog breeders Zero
   • Other dog breeding-related concerns (for example, noise, sickness in puppy) Zero
10. How many complaints, allegations, service requests or intelligence reports resulted in a physical visit or inspection to a site or premises? Please split, where held, between:
    • Licensed dog breeders Zero
    • Alleged or suspected unlicensed dog breeders 2
11. How many complaints, allegations, service requests or intelligence reports were investigated but did not result in a physical visit or inspection? 2
12. Where complaints, allegations, service requests or intelligence reports were investigated without a physical visit, please briefly describe the main method or methods used. Not Applicable
13. Of the complaints, allegations, service requests or intelligence reports received, how many were recorded as:
    • Founded/substantiated Zero
    • Unfounded/unsubstantiated 2
    • No further action Zero
    • Still under investigation at 31 March 2026 Zero
14. How many alleged or suspected unlicensed breeders investigated during the period subsequently applied for a dog breeding licence? Zero
15. Between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, how many enforcement actions were taken in relation to dog breeding following complaints, allegations, visits, inspections, grant applications or renewal applications? Please provide numbers for:
    • Written warnings
    • Improvement Notices
    • Fixed Penalty Notices
    • Licence variations
    • Licence suspensions
    • Licence revocations
    • Prosecutions commenced
    • Referrals/reports to the RSPCA, SSPCA, USPCA or another enforcement body
    • Not Applicable for all the above.
16. How many prosecutions relating to dog breeding were undertaken or concluded during the period, and which team recorded or led those prosecutions? Zero
17. For each concluded prosecution, please provide, where held:
    • Whether the case related to a licensed or unlicensed breeder
    • Offence type
    • Outcome
    • Fine
    • Costs awarded
    • Disqualification order
    • Proceeds of Crime Act/confiscation order, if applicable
    • Not Applicable for all the above.
18. Does your authority undertake any online proactive monitoring of puppy adverts, dog breeding adverts or social media sales activity as part of dog breeding licensing or enforcement work? If yes, please state which platforms or sources are monitored, where held. No
19. How many full-time equivalent staff are involved in animal activity licensing work, and what are the job titles of officers undertaking dog breeding inspections, visits or complaint investigations? Please also state whether your authority has a dedicated animal welfare, animal health, animal licensing or equivalent officer post responsible for animal licensing and welfare work. 0.2 full time equivalent Licensing Officers. No dedicated officer.
20. For each officer undertaking dog breeding inspections, visits or complaint investigations, please provide:
    • The name of any OFQUAL-approved or other formal animal licensing training course completed
    • The course provider
    • A brief description of the practical element of the course, where held.

Level 3 Diploma Animal Welfare Officer. Diploma - Learners can expect their certification within 6 months of completing the course, following the (EQA) External Quality Assurance of assessment.