What you can do
Signing a petition, writing to your MP or local council, or simply starting a conversation with a friend or family member who is thinking about getting a pet could lead to a lifetime of better treatment for the animals we choose to share our homes with.
Thanks to your support and the work of campaigners across the country, the UK’s governments have been taking real action to tackle illicit pet breeders and improve the lives of dogs, cats and rabbits in the UK.
There are some real turning points we can celebrate:
- Commercial third-party sales of puppies and kittens are now banned in England, Scotland and Wales, and the Northern Irish government has promised to do the same.
- The sale of puppies, kittens and rabbits under eight weeks is banned in Britain.
- In England and Scotland, more comprehensive welfare standards have been introduced for dog breeding.
- In Scotland, cat and rabbit breeding is now regulated.
- Online pet sales must now include the seller’s licence number as well as the local authority that issued the licence.
- All cats in England will have to be microchipped from 10 June 2024.
- Defra and the RCVS have confirmed canine artificial insemination is a veterinary-only procedure in the UK, which will help efforts to tackle unscrupulous breeding practices promoted by unregulated canine fertility clinics.
- The Labour Government promised to end puppy smuggling and farming in its 2024 election manifesto.
- A Bill to end puppy smuggling is progressing through Parliament.
- Major retailers Jollyes, Just for Pets and Pets Corner no longer sell live animals in their shops.
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But there's still more to do
We need to ensure our animal companions have the best start in life.
Puppy farming and illegal dog breeding is big business and smuggling gangs can make up to £35,000 per week from illegally transporting puppies to be sold in the UK.
Canine fertility clinics are now part of the problem, too, and are helping people breed extreme looking dogs with horrendous health issues.
And just like with dogs, low welfare trends are increasingly afflicting cats and rabbits, too.
You can help by supporting our vital work with a donation, signing one of our petitions, or reporting your concerns about illegal pet breeding to our investigators using our Report illegal breeding page.
Take action for pets
Download our Stop Greed Breeding Action pack and find out about simple things you can do to end the exploitation of dogs, cats and rabbits.
How you can help
There are lots of ways to help with our work, from making a donation through to holding fundraising events or even getting involved as a volunteer. Below, you can explore the different ways to help us continue raising standards for animals.
Share your story and photos to help us celebrate the powerful bond between people and their animals.
This simple step would reduce harm to wildlife. Help us deliver this message directly to retailers who can make a real difference.
Millions of animals bred for research are never used and their fate goes unrecorded.
Urge your MP to stand up for these forgotten victims.
UK wildlife is under threat, yet crimes against it are treated as minor offences. Urgent legal reform is needed.
Join us in telling your local MP why a change in law is vital to protect our wildlife.
Join us in asking the UK Government to finally end animal testing for all everyday household products.
Unethical extreme designer pet trends are pushing cats and kittens to the limit.
Join us in calling for extreme cat breeding to be banned across the UK.
Your support helps us protect wildlife and tackle cruelty. Every donation makes a real impact.
Take part in a way that works for you, whether volunteering, fundraising or donating items, and help create a kinder future for animals.
