Advice for residents buying a puppy this Christmas

Christmas is often a popular time when thinking about buying a puppy. It’s an exciting time but pets are a long-term commitment and you should always be sure that you are ready for this additional responsibility before you start looking,

There is much to consider and so the East Riding of Yorkshire Council's health, safety & licensing team are urging people to take some precautions before making a purchase.

Top tips:

UK bred puppies must be at least 8 weeks old before being sold, be microchipped and registered to the seller. Enquire if the puppy is being sold fully vaccinated.

Visit the puppy in person in its own environment. The puppy should be shown with its mum and ideally the rest of the litter so you can see how they are all interacting. Look at their behavioural personality as they should be in good health, sociable and alert and kept in a clean and comfortable environment. Never agree to meet anywhere to view the puppy other than where it was bred.

Ensure you are provided with all appropriate documentation - vaccination certificates, worming and flea treatments. If you are buying a pedigree puppy, obtain proof of this from the seller by getting a copy of their registration certificate and always get a receipt of sale.

By law all dog breeders should be licensed. You can check with the local authority to see if a breeder is registered. Within the East Riding of Yorkshire you can do this by visiting our website at https://www.eastriding.gov.uk/business/licences-and-registrations/available-licences/animals/dog-breeding/ or ask to see the breeder's licence. A licensed breeder should be happy to show you proof of this. If you are buying off a website – the licence number must be on there.

Additionally, you can make further checks with the kennel club. If you are buying a pedigree puppy obtain proof from the seller by ensuring it has a registration certificate.

For more information on safely buying a healthy pet this Christmas, please visit the Petfishing website at https://getyourpetsafely.campaign.gov.uk/

If you have any concerns over a breeder then we recommend you walk away and don’t feel pressured into buying.

If you have concerns relating to dog breeding or pet selling activities taking place, then please contact the licensing team.

You can do this via emailing the council at licensing@eastriding.gov.uk.

Cllr David Elvidge, portfolio holder for community empowerment and voluntary sector at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “A puppy or a dog can be a great addition to any home but I would really urge people to think carefully and do their research before buying one.

“Caution should be taken when thinking about buying a dog online or via a newspaper advert and all appropriate checks and documentation should take place to ensure the purchase is legitimate.”