Shocking new figures suggest just 10.5-14% dog breeding is regulated

21.09.26

UK Government must deliver its promise to “end puppy farming” as shocking new figures suggest just 10.5-14% of dog breeding is regulated

At the end of last year, the UK Government promised to “end puppy farming” as part of its Animal Welfare Strategy for England. New findings from Naturewatch Foundation show that action is urgently needed as we discover the vast majority of puppies sold in the UK are still being bred outside of dedicated regulation.

Read the report

Our latest figures estimate that just 10.5% to 14% of UK puppies are bred by breeders who are licensed.

Through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests sent to 390 local authorities across the UK and Republic of Ireland, we found there are around 2,664 licensed dog breeders, an 8% decrease since 2025. The figure for just the UK is 2,572.

Licensed breeders are inspected by local authorities and must meet minimum welfare standards. While licensing is by no means perfect, it provides a level of oversight and accountability.

However, most puppies are being bred outside of this system.

Based on the number of breeding dogs reportedly kept by licensed breeders, we estimate that almost as few as one in ten puppies sold in the UK originate from licensed establishments.

The overwhelming majority are likely to come from other sources. This includes unlicensed breeders outside the scope of regulation, but also illegal breeding operations and puppy smugglers.

This lack of visibility of where puppies are coming from leaves both dogs and prospective owners vulnerable.

Disappearing dogs

Our data reveals another concerning trend.

The number of female dogs kept for licensed breeding has fallen dramatically, from more than 22,000 in 2025 to around 17,395 in 2026. That represents a drop of over 5,500 dogs in a very short period.

While we welcome signs that breeders may be moving towards smaller-scale operations with fewer breeding dogs, we are very concerned about the lack of traceability for dogs who have left the licensed breeding system.

Licensed breeders in England and Wales are expected to make arrangements for ex-breeding dogs, but this is not the case in other nations. This is a concerning oversight that needs urgent attention.

Size of establishments

The data we’ve obtained shows most licensed breeders appear to keep ten or fewer breeding dogs. However, our findings also highlight the existence of much larger operations.

Across the UK and Ireland, 27 licensed breeders are authorised to keep more than 50 breeding dogs. Around two-thirds of these larger-scale establishments are located in Ireland.

The largest licensed breeder in Great Britain is permitted to keep 100 breeding dogs, while in Northern Ireland, three licensed businesses are each authorised to keep 200 breeding dogs. In the Republic of Ireland, one operator is licensed to keep 300 breeding dogs.

Urgent changes needed

Taken together, these new findings demonstrate why higher standards, stronger oversight and greater transparency in the puppy trade are essential.

In December 2025, the UK Government’s Animal Welfare Strategy for England included a commitment to “end puppy farming”, as well as a promise to launch a public consultation on improving dog breeding regulations.

We have welcomed that commitment, but progress has been worryingly slow since.

The UK Government must now move forward with the promised consultation and deliver changes that genuinely tackle low-welfare and illegal breeding and improve traceability.

Afterall, dogs are cherished members of our families and every one of them deserves the best possible start in life.

Key findings at a glance:

Only an estimated 10.5-14% of UK puppies are bred by licensed breeders.
There are around 2,664 licensed breeders in the UK and Republic of Ireland, down 8% since 2025.
60 local authorities have no licensed breeders in their area at all.
Around 17,395 female dogs are kept for licensed breeding in the UK, a drop of more than 5,500 since 2025.