Completed petition Immediate embargo on new dog breeding licences, licence renewals and planning applications until regulations are fit for purpose and enforceable

Following the BBC One Wales documentary on Monday 30th September 2019 highlighting the appalling state of the licensed, legal, regulated puppy farming trade in Wales, the failures of the inspection process, the inconsistencies and inaccuracies of Council licensing inspection reports and the often disturbing guidance provided to licensing inspectors (who are not animal welfare experts) by vets on the fitness of dogs to be bred from, we are calling on the Minister to intervene with immediate effect and instruct all Welsh Councils to embargo any further licensing, licensing renewal and planning applications relating to dog breeding until such time as there has been a full inquiry into these failures: Failures that we have been providing evidence on for years to both the Welsh Government and councils and which has summarily been ignored or dismissed. There is absolutely no point in the further issuing of dog breeding licences under the circumstances we have cited. To do otherwise would be to condone a broken licensing system, endanger the welfare of breeding dogs and puppies in these establishments and provide the public with a false sense of security believing that licensing as it stands means an establishment is satisfactory to purchase a canine companion from. It is clear that there is little for the public to discern between a licensed and unlicensed puppy farm and as the Minister has herself made a commitment to run puppy farming out of Wales it stands to reason that she will be of a mind to take the most urgent and appropriate action to see that this happens now. Whilst we welcome the promised urgent review of the current licensing system, this does not go far enough. Until such time as new, robust, fit for purpose regulations are laid by the Welsh Government, no further licensing, licence renewals or planning applications for new dog breeding establishments or extensions to existing breeding establishments should be approved.