Survey Finds Most Irish Adults Don't Know How to Check a Breeder's Licence

In Ireland, new research commissioned by Dogs Trust Ireland has found that 84% of Irish adults do not know how to check whether a dog breeder holds a licence. The findings were released after the charity gave evidence to the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food, which is carrying out pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Dog Breeding Establishments (Amendment) Bill.

Dogs Trust Ireland has welcomed the proposed legislation but is calling for it to go further in several areas. The charity wants the staffing requirements tightened, warning that the draft's current ratio could leave a single worker responsible for a large number of breeding dogs. It is also seeking outcome-based welfare rules, so that every licensed breeding establishment must show how it will meet puppies' needs in practice, and better traceability linking puppies back to their parents and the premises where they were bred. Sarah Lynch, the charity's policy manager, said it is "vital that anyone who wants to make a puppy part of their family should have confidence" in the system behind that puppy, adding that "the most important time in a dog's life is when they are a puppy."

For breeders and prospective owners, the survey is a reminder that licensing exists precisely to give buyers that confidence, but only if people know to look for it. As the Bill continues through pre-legislative scrutiny, Dogs Trust Ireland's submission points to public awareness, staffing levels and traceability as the practical details that will decide whether tougher rules on paper translate into better outcomes for puppies on the ground.