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Dog Breeders urged to get licence by Council
North Ayrshire Council is urging people to carry out due diligence when buying a dog from a breeder.
The local authority is working with counterparts across Ayrshire, along with Police Scotland, to ensure those breeding dogs are properly licensed.
The licence is needed if you breed three or more litters of puppies in any 12-month period or if you breed and sell dogs as a business– and currently there are just three registered breeders in North Ayrshire.
Councillor Eleanor Collier, chair of North Ayrshire Council’s Licensing Committee, has been pushing for greater awareness and is hoping that a joined-up approach can help achieve this - and ensure that dogs are brought into the world in the best possible environment.
Quote: I have been looking into dog and puppy welfare licensing and protection recently and there does appear to a postcode lottery of dog policies and protections in the UK. I have spoken to our officers here and also some of our partners and it’s certainly an area we can improve on. We want to raise awareness about licences and make sure people know that they need to be registered if they are breeding three or more litters in a 12-month period. It is simply to protect and safeguard dogs and make sure that breeders are regulated and following guidelines set out to look after and protect dogs. We do hear about the awful treatment of dogs by unscrupulous breeders and we have a duty to protect innocent animals. We are not saying there is an issue in North Ayrshire but we have to be proactive in our approach and make sure that people are aware of the rules. We would also ask people to let us know if they do have concerns about any operation in the region.”
Quote from: Councillor Eleanor Collier, Chair of North Ayrshire Council’s Licensing Committee
Officers from across the region will continue working together to provide information on how issues are dealt with across the three Ayrshire Councils to standardise approaches and ensure best practice. The local authorities are looking to involve Police Scotland in more cases and assist with gathering evidence against unlicensed operators.
Members of the public are encouraged to check that any breeder is licensed with the Council before buying a puppy and to report any concerns about unlicensed or poor-welfare breeding.
If you would like more information or would like to get in touch with our team please email licensing@north-ayrshire.gov.uk
Published: 27 November 2025