A BAN on the trade in puppies and kittens by third-party sellers will move a step closer in the Senedd next week.

A proposed new law would mean anyone in Wales who wants to sell puppies and kittens aged under six months must hold a licence, meet minimum animal welfare standards, and sell animals from the place where they were bred.

Environmental minister Lesley Griffiths said the new rules would "promote responsible breeding" of dogs and cats.

Anyone caught breaking the law could face a fine or up to six months in prison.

Such a ban has long been pursued by campaigners and the animal welfare charity the RSPCA. If passed, the legislation will be largely similar to the 'Lucy's Law' measures introduced in England last year.

"Unnecessary transportation, poor standards, and being taken from mothers too early is sadly a grim reality for many pups and kittens subject to third party sale – and it's very welcome that this law plans to tackle that, in what we hope is the first step to better regulate animal-related activities in Wales," said the charity's head of public affairs, David Bowles.

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The Senedd's Petitions Committee said on Monday a total of more than 13,000 people had signed three petitions calling on government to bring in a ban and to improve enforcement at puppy farms.

Campaign group CARIAD (Care And Respect Includes All Dogs) was behind two of the petitions. 

It said removing puppies from their mothers "often creates sick, traumatised, dysfunctional dogs" and "harms their welfare".

CARIAD also alleged illegal unlicensed breeders could "operate under the radar" by using licensed third-parties to sell their puppies.

"A ban on dealing in puppies for profit can only raise health and welfare standards for breeding dogs and puppies as well as providing greatly needed public protection," the group said in one of its petitions.

Committee member and Plaid Cymru MS Leanne Wood said the issues "have been felt strongly by a lot of people over a long time".

She said "numerous promises" to improve enforcement had been made, adding that the successor committee, in the next Senedd term, should "keep a very close eye on the issues" and seek a timeline for any proposed changes to the law.

When Ms Griffiths announced the proposed ban, earlier this year, she said work was also ongoing with councils to "tackle barriers to enforcement".

A three-year, government-funded project would give council inspectors "training and better guidance" to carry out checks of puppy farms and breeders, she said.

Call for clarity

The RSPCA has backed the "really important" ban on third-party puppy and kitten sellers, but said rescue organisations such as itself must be given an exemption from the rule.

The charity said rescuers would be unable to rehome kittens and puppies until they were six months old, unless the wording of the proposed ban was clarified.

Mr Bowles said he didnt not believe the regulation of rescue centres was "ever the intention of the law" and warned that pets saved from abuse and neglect could face "an agonising wait for a new home" until they turned six months old.

  • The article originally appeared on the Argus' sister outlet The National.