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Rules on the Sale, Supply and Advertising of Pet Animals
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
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- The list includes animal rehoming charities as well as commercial entities.
- The Code of Practice for sellers and suppliers of pet animals can be found here.
Code of Practice for Sellers and Suppliers of Pet Animals
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New rules on the sale or supply of pet animals came into effect on 1st February 2020. They are the Animal Health and Welfare (Sale or supply of pet animals) Regulations 2019 (No. 681 of 2019). These include the following:
1) sellers/suppliers of six or more pet animals in a calendar year must apply to be entered into the Register of Sellers and Suppliers of Pet Animals;
2) premises used in connection with the sale or supply of pet animals must be entered into the Register of Premises
3) sellers/suppliers of six or more pet animals in a year must keep certain records on the animals, for at least three years:
• name and address of the person from whom an animal is obtained,
• date an animal is obtained,
• date of sale or supply of an animal,
• description of animal, including species, breed, sex, colour and distinctive markings, physical condition and health where practicable, age and animal identification, if applicable,
• name and address of the person to whom each animal is sold or supplied and date of sale or supply,
• details of disposal of each animal not sold or supplied, including cause of death, method of, and reason for, euthanasia, circumstances of escape, and date of the death or escape,
• for each animal receiving medical care, clinical signs, diagnosis, the type of service rendered, date and veterinary practitioner’s name.
4) all advertisements of pet animals must include the following information-
• the registration number of the seller/supplier of the animal;
• the age of the animal;
• the unique code of the microchip implanted in a dog;
• the country of origin of the animal;
• if the seller/supplier is a dog breeding establishment to which the Dog Breeding Establishment Act 2010 is applicable, the registration number issued by the relevant Local Authority, or -
• in the case of a registered charitable organisation (Charities Act 2009) the registration number issued under the Charities Act 2009.
5) the new regulations prohibit the sale or supply of pet animals under certain specified minimum ages
The application form can be used to apply for entry into both the Register of Sellers and Suppliers and the Register of Premises. Anyone currently selling six or more pet animals in a calendar year must apply for entry into the Registers.
The application form for registration should be returned to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) by email to PetSalesRegister@agriculture.gov.ie . DAFM will send a certificate confirming registration, with a unique registration number, which should be displayed in the premises used in connection with the sale or supply of pets.
Pet Sales Application for Registration Form
Application form for Registration of Sellers or Suppliers of Pet Animals
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The registration requirement does not apply to persons to whom the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 applies, or a local authority or a facility run by or on behalf of a local authority.
Any queries should be sent to:
Q. I am a vet and I have been asked to sign the inspection report, section D of the registration form. What do I need to check?
A. Check the animals are well cared for with no signs of disease, that they have adequate food and water and that you have no welfare concerns.
If the premises has dogs, check that they are microchipped. Ensure the premises is clean.
Q. I am registering to sell/supply pets and I don’t understand how to fill in section D, the inspection report.
A. Contact your local private veterinary practitioner (PVP) and ask them to carry out an inspection of your premises.
Q: Can I fill it out online, or send in a photo of the filled out form?
A : You can email a photo of the form to PetSalesRegister@agriculture.gov.ie
Q: If there are two people in the family do we each need to register?
A: Each seller or supplier of pets needs to be registered
Q: Why do I need to register with the department?
A: New rules on the sale or supply of pet animals came into effect on 1st February 2020. They are the Animal Health and Welfare (Sale or supply of pet animals) Regulations 2019 (No. 681 of 2019). Anyone who sells or supplies six or more pet animals in a calendar year must comply with a number of new requirements, including registration.
Q: Is a herd number enough?
A: No, pet sales registration is a separate process to the herd number. You must apply to be registered as a pet seller even if you have a herd number.
Q: How long is this number valid for?
A: Each registration is valid for a duration of one year, from the date the application is processed.
Each pet seller/supplier is required to renew their registration every year in order to remain on the register.
Q. How is a pet defined?
A. A pet is defined as an animal kept, or intended to be kept, by a person:
1. as a pastime or hobby,
2. for companionship,
3. for ornamental purposes, or
4. any combination of (1) to (3)
but does not include a farm animal.
Q. Who must register?
A. Anyone who sells or supplies 6 or more pet animals in a year must register. This includes charitable organisations that rehome pet animals. The registration requirement does not apply to persons or organisations to whom the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 applies, or a local authority or a facility run by or on behalf of a local authority.
Q. I am giving a dog away for free or to a family member. Does this come under the regulations?
A. Yes, this counts as supply of pet animals, and the regulations apply.
Q. Who must keep records?
A. Anyone who sells or supplies 6 or more pet animals in a year.
Q. Do the new rules on registration only apply to pets that are advertised for sale?
A. No – the rules on registration apply where 6 or more pet animals are sold or supplied in a year, regardless of whether the sale or supply is advertised or not.
Q. What should I do if I expect to sell one or more litters of pups in a calendar year, but I do not know if the total number of pups for sale will be 6 or more?
A. You can register at any stage if you expect to sell or supply 6 or more pets in a year.
Q. Can I advertise the sale of pups prior to the pets being microchipped?
A. No, all advertisements relating to sale or supply of pet dogs must contain the relevant chip number for each dog advertised for sale.
Q. Is there a charge for registration?
A. No, there is no charge for registration.
Q. I am no longer selling pets, can I be removed for the register.
A. Yes. If you are no longer selling 6 or more pet animals in a calendar year and want to be removed from the register, please send in your request for removal by email to petsalesregister@agriculture.gov.ie
Q. What is the voluntary code of practice for sellers and suppliers of pet animals?
A. The voluntary Code of Practice is intended to provide guidance to Sellers and Suppliers of Pet Animals as part of their care and management of animals sold or supplied as pets. The Code addresses a number of issues including animal welfare. It also focuses on the need to provide a prospective pet owner with sufficient information about species of interest to enable the person to make an informed decision as to whether to purchase
Q. This is a voluntary code of practice; do I have to abide by recommendations made within the document?
A. In order to be entered into the Register of sellers and suppliers of pet animals and the Register of premises, the applicant must sign the declaration at the bottom of the registration form which states that the applicant is aware of the provisions of the code of practice.
If you have any questions please contact petsalesregister@agriculture.gov.ie, or call 01 607 2862
Dogs make wonderful companions and are part of the family in many homes in Ireland. But if you are thinking of acquiring a dog, please consider all the following guidance.
Owning and caring for a pet is a major, long-term commitment. Dogs can live for many years. Do you have the time to ensure the dog gets sufficient exercise and is not left alone too long? You should think carefully about the costs involved, which include dog food, veterinary care, and kennelling costs.
Before you acquire a dog, do your research. Make sure your dog comes from a reputable breeder or consider adopting from a rehoming charity. This can reduce the risk of buying a sick or unsocialised dog.
If you are thinking about a puppy, ask to see the pup and its mother at the breeder’s property. Do not meet the seller to conclude the purchase in another location, such as a car park. Think carefully before paying in cash. The puppy should be microchipped, and at least 8 weeks old before it is sold.
The Irish Pet Advertising Advisory Group (IPAAG) has detailed advice on what to look for when buying a dog online. To download the IPAAG’s Puppy Checklist click here . Good advice on buying a puppy can also be accessed from Dogs Trust
Please also note the following:
• Check if the seller is registered with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine – this is a legal requirement for anyone selling or supplying 6 or more pets in a year.
• It is a legal requirement in Ireland that puppies must be microchipped by the time they reach 12 weeks, or before they permanently leave the land or premises where they were born, whichever comes first. Ask to see the certificate of registration of the chip – this will help provide certainty to you that the seller is the rightful owner of the dog, and that you would not inadvertently be handling stolen property, through no fault of your own.
• Anyone advertising a dog for sale must include the microchip number of the dog in the ad. You can check whether the microchip is a valid number by entering it into the Europetnet database at www.europetnet.com