Lucy’s Law
Have you heard of Lucy’s Law?
It came into force in 2020 and is a new UK regulation on the sale of kittens and puppies. All dealers and pet shops in England are banned from selling kittens or puppies, effectively wiping out any third party pet sales. This means that that anyone wanting to get a new puppy or kitten in England must now buy direct from a breeder, or consider adopting from a rescue centre instead.
What’s more, when you do buy a kitten or puppy from a breeder in England they need to be licensed and are also obliged to show the mother interacting with her brood and the actual place of birth. Any unlicensed breeders face being sent to prison for up to 6 months and a large fine.
The law is named after Lucy, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who was rescued from a puppy farm where she was subjected to terrible conditions.