#Reggieslaw - Regulate online animal sales
The Parliament petitions site records 109,004 signatures for this petition, which closed on 7 December 2021. The Government responded on 1 July 2021. MPs debated it in Westminster Hall on 13 December 2021.
The petition
The petition's creator is not named in the Petitions site's published record. Quoted in full from the UK Parliament petitions site.
#Reggieslaw - Regulate online animal sales
Given how many animals are sold online, we want Government to introduce regulation of all websites where animals are sold. Websites should be required to verify the identity of all sellers, and for young animals for sale pictures with their parents be posted with all listings.
The Government's response
The Government published its response on 1 July 2021; the petitions site lists the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as responsible. Its summary:
The Government shares the public’s high regard for animal welfare. We endorse the Pet Advertising Advisory Group’s work and support their actions to improve the traceability of online vendors.
The opening 325 words of the 787-word response:
Under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 (the 2018 Regulations) anyone who sells animals as pets or breeds and sells dogs as a business needs a valid licence from their local authority. Licencees must meet strict statutory minimum welfare standards which are enforced by local authorities who have powers to issue, refuse or revoke licences. Any licensee advertising animals for sale needs to include their licence number and relevant local authority in the advert. In addition, advertisements require the age of the animal for sale to be stated along with a recognisable photograph.
Commercial third-party sales of puppies and kittens were banned in England from 6 April 2020. This prevents pet shops, pet dealers and other commercial outlets from selling these animals in England unless they themselves have bred them. It means anyone looking to get a puppy or kitten must buy direct from a breeder or adopt from a rescue centre. My Department runs a national communications campaign (Petfished) to raise awareness of issues associated with low-welfare and illegal supply of pets. Clear signposting is provided to where responsible breeders and rehoming centres can be found and it encourages prospective buyers to research the seller thoroughly before they visit and decide to purchase. The campaign provides a list of red flags for buyers to look out for when searching for a pet online. The step by step guide on buying a pet includes a reminder to check whether it has been vaccinated and socialised before you take it home.
The Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) was created in 2001 to combat growing concerns regarding the irresponsible advertising of pets for sale, rehoming and exchange. The Group comprises animal welfare organisations, trade associations and veterinary bodies. PAAG is endorsed by Defra and the UK Government and Devolved Administrations. It has been engaging with online marketplaces in the UK to help them distinguish appropriate adverts from those that should be removed.
Read the full response on the petitions site.
Where the signatures came from
Signatures came from 650 constituencies on the boundaries used until the 2024 general election. The largest number, 371, came from Bolton West.
107,981 of the signatures were from the UK and 1,023 from elsewhere, by the location signers gave.
| Constituency | Signatures |
|---|---|
| Bolton West | 371 |
| Makerfield | 367 |
| Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford | 357 |
| Isle of Wight | 353 |
| Wigan | 343 |
| Forest of Dean | 334 |
| Vale of Glamorgan | 334 |
| St Austell and Newquay | 326 |
| Weston-Super-Mare | 320 |
| Taunton Deane | 316 |
| Region | Signatures |
|---|---|
| South East | 15,722 |
| North West | 13,684 |
| South West | 11,654 |
| East of England | 11,003 |
| West Midlands | 8,691 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 8,283 |
| East Midlands | 8,120 |
| Scotland | 7,681 |
| Wales | 7,012 |
| London | 6,470 |
| North East | 5,138 |
| Northern Ireland | 1,682 |
Debate in Parliament
MPs debated the petition in Westminster Hall on 13 December 2021. Read the debate in Hansard. House of Commons Library debate pack.
Source and receipt
- https://petition.parliament.uk/archived/petitions/587654.jsonUK Parliament Petitions API · read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256
3067e6bf310b04b3… - The petition on petition.parliament.uk
The petition's words are its creator's and the response is the Government's; this site quotes both and gives no view on either. Signature counts can still change while a petition is open. To report an error, send a correction request.