Lucy's Law explained: what it means for buying and selling puppies

What is Lucy's Law?

Lucy's Law is the name given to the ban on third-party puppy sales. In England it was introduced by the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2019, which changed the licensing rules for anyone selling animals as pets.

Under Lucy's Law, a licensed pet seller can no longer sell a puppy under six months old unless they bred it themselves. Pet shops and puppy dealers, who buy puppies from breeders and sell them on, can no longer trade in young puppies.

The aim is to cut off the route that puppy farms use to reach buyers. When puppies are sold through a middleman, buyers never see where or how they were bred. When you buy directly from the breeder, you do.

Who was Lucy?

Lucy was a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel kept for breeding on a puppy farm in South Wales. She was rescued in 2013 and adopted by Lisa Garner, who campaigned in Lucy's name alongside vet Marc Abraham, founder of Pup Aid.

The campaign ran for around ten years, backed by animal charities, the Kennel Club and MPs, before the ban became law in England in 2020.

Lucy's Law across the UK

Animal welfare is devolved, so each UK nation has introduced its own version of the ban.

Northern Ireland's version goes further than a sales ban. As proposed, the sale or handover must happen where the puppy was bred and be carried out by the breeder, and adverts must show the puppy's age, where it is kept, the council area and a clear photo with its mother.

What Lucy's Law means if you're buying a puppy

• Buy from the breeder. Deal with the person who bred the litter, or adopt from a rescue.
• See the puppies with their mum. Meet them together, in the place they were born.
• Check the age. No puppy should leave its mother before eight weeks old.
• Ask for the paperwork. Microchip details, vaccination and worming records, and a contract.

Walk away if the mother isn't there, the seller wants to meet somewhere else such as a car park or service station, several breeds are on offer at once, or you are pushed to pay quickly. You can browse puppies listed by their breeders on Companimal, where every listing is checked by a person before it goes live, and read our guide to buying a puppy safely before you visit.

What Lucy's Law means if you're selling puppies

If you bred the litter yourself, Lucy's Law doesn't stop you selling. It means you must sell the puppies yourself, show them with their mother where they were born, and never let them go before eight weeks old.

• Only sell puppies you bred. Reselling someone else's puppies as a business is illegal.
• Check whether you need a licence. In England, breeding 3 or more litters in 12 months, or breeding and selling as a business, needs a council licence.
• Get your adverts right. Licensed breeders in England must show their licence number, the issuing council, a photo of the puppy and its age.

When you're ready, you can sell your puppies on Companimal, where the details the law asks for are built into the listing form.

Does Lucy's Law apply to private sellers?

Lucy's Law is aimed at commercial third-party sellers. A breeder selling their own litter is not a third party, so they can sell directly. Someone buying puppies to sell on as a business is breaking the law, whether or not they call themselves a private seller. If you're unsure whether you count as a business, ask your local council's licensing team before you advertise.

How is Lucy's Law enforced?

Local councils enforce Lucy's Law through their animal licensing teams, which licence and inspect pet sellers and dog breeders. In England, selling animals as pets without the right licence can lead to an unlimited fine or up to six months in prison.

How to report a breach of Lucy's Law

If you think someone is selling puppies they didn't breed, report it to the licensing team at the local council where the seller is based. If you're worried about the welfare of the dogs, contact the RSPCA (or the Scottish SPCA in Scotland). If you paid money to a seller who turned out to be a scam, report it to Action Fraud, or to Police Scotland if you live in Scotland.