Important information about Commercial Breeders

Please find below important information for any prospective IG owner regarding Commercial Dog Breeders breeding Italian Greyhounds and IG Crossed Breeds in the UK. If you are looking to buy an IG puppy, please read on…

The Italian Greyhound Rescue Charity receives many enquiries from potential Italian Greyhound puppy buyers, most of whom do not wish to buy from commercial breeders. As detailed below, commercial breeders (people who breed and sell puppies for financial gain) should have a breeding license issued by their local council. However, we know of only one online puppy sales site that requires the advertisers’ commercial licence number to be given. Therefore, prospective owners need to be alert and not simply rely on a licence number to identify commercial breeders.

IGR,IG Full Body 100dpi

[Copyright: Italian Greyhound Rescue Charity]

The Charity hopes the following information collated from the relevant council websites will be useful in identifying if the breeder you have contacted is a commercial breeder of Italian Greyhounds or Italian Greyhound Crossbreeds and has, or requires, a breeder’s licence.

UK Law states in the Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999 that a local council-issued dog breeding license is required for anyone who keeps a breeding establishment (including private dwellings) which meets any of the following conditions:

  • Anyone “in the business” of breeding and selling dogs (trading) needs to be licensed regardless of the number of litters they have in a 12 month period. For example if the person is breeding and selling dogs for commercial gain and/or regularly adverting puppies/dogs for sale.
  • England and Scotland – if in a 12 month period their dogs give birth to 5 litters or more, regardless of whether they are in the business of breeding and selling dogs.

How local authorities decide if an individual is trading or is “in the business” of breeding and selling dogs, differs from council to council. For example, some councils will require anyone who breeds over 2 litters in a 12 month period to be licensed while others may require anyone keeping more than 2 breeding bitches to be licensed. Each council’s requirements should be visible on their council website and further information can be found here.

Licensed commercial breeders are not allowed to mate a bitch if she is less than one year old and breeding is restricted to a maximum limit of 6 litters per bitch, with at least 12 months between each litter of puppies. (Please note, the IGRC recommends that a bitch is bred from no more than three times and has a minimum of two years between each litter.)

In England and Wales, there are six Licensed Commercial Breeders of IGs and IG crosses who are registered with their local council (correct as of July 2017). But, as detailed below, not all Commercial Breeders are registered with their local council.

Prospective owners must be aware that not all breeders who advertise and breed frequently are licensed with their local council. If you come across a commercial breeder whose licence details cannot be found with the local council, please contact the IGRC and they can investigate the breeder further.

Unfortunately, the online world is increasingly becoming the home of unscrupulous breeders. The IGRC recommends that prospective IG owners avoid puppies and dogs that are advertised on the internet. Instead, the Charity advises new owners to attend Kennel Club dog shows where they can meet lots of Italian Greyhounds, talk about the breed with their owners, and register their interest in a puppy with a reputable breeder.

In conclusion, be alert when carrying out your research for an IG or IG-cross puppy. If anything about a breeder or their premises unsettles you, please do not ignore your instincts. And if you have any concerns regarding a particular advert or breeding establishment, please feel free to contact the IGRC to discuss your observations.

Profits seized from illegal dog breeding operation

An  illegal  dog  breeder  has  been  forced  to  pay  back  the  profit  she  made  from  selling litters  of  puppies   from  her  home,  after  successful  Proceeds  of  Crime  Act proceedings by  Rhondda  Cynon  Taf  Council.

Cardiff  Crown  Court  has  determined  that  Susan  Thomas,  formerly  of  Heol  y  Bryn, Rhydyfelin,  must   forfeit  the  £4,000  profit  Licensing  Officers  have  proved  she  made from  selling  puppies  when  she  had   no  legal  license  to  do  so.

She  has  also  been  ordered  to  pay  a  further  £7,500  towards  the  prosecution  costs and has  just  three   months  to  pay  back  the  total  amount. Following  her  conviction  of illegal  breeding  and  animal   welfare  offences  last  year,  she  was  banned  from breeding  dogs  for  five  years.

The  successful  result  in  court  marks  the  end  of  a  year  of  legal  action  against  Susan Thomas,  58,  by   Rhondda  Cynon  Taf  Council’s  Licensing  Officers. It  sends  a  clear message  that  the  authority  does  have  access  to  far-­‐reaching  and  robust  legislation to   deal  with  those  who  make  a  profit  from  criminal  activity.

The  case  against  Thomas,  58,  began  in  2013  when  Council  Licensing  Officers  were contacted  by  the   Italian  Greyhound  Rescue  Charity,  passing  on  the  concerns  of  a man  who  had  contacted  them  after   visiting  Thomas’  home  with  a  view  to  buying  a puppy  she  had  offered  for  sale  online.

He  was  appalled  at  the  dirty  and  smelly  conditions  in  which  the  puppies  were  kept and  also   concerned  about  the  number  of  litters  of  puppies  and  dogs  in  the house. As  soon  as  Thomas’  name  was  mentioned  by  the  charity,  officers  were  aware of  her  as  it  had  been  just  over  18  months  since  they  had  first  prosecuted  her  in relation  to  illegal  breeding  and  animal   welfare  offences.

In  2012,  she  was  convicted  at  Pontypridd  Magistrates’  Court  of  failing  to  hold  the legal,  local   authority  license  that  is  needed  by  anyone  who  produces  more  than  four litters  of  puppies  a  year,  an   offence  under  the  1973  Breeding  of  Dogs  Act.

She  was  also  convicted  of  an  offence  under  the  2006  Animal  Welfare  Act  for  failing to  allow  the  dogs   in  her  care  to  exhibit  their  natural  canine  behaviour,  as  they were kept  for  hours  at  a  time  in  small   cages  stacked  in  her  kitchen,  instead  of  being walked  and  playing  in  the  garden.

The  following  year  online  adverts  indicated  she  was  continuing  to  breed  puppies illegally,  so  officers   organised  a  search  of  her  home,  in  the  presence  of  a  vet  and police  officers.

They  entered  the  property  to  discover  26  dogs  –  Chihuahuas,  Italian  Greyhounds  – and  paperwork,   photos  and  mating  diaries  that  indicated  at  least  eight  litters  of puppies  had  been  bred  illegally  since   the  court  case.

As  a  result  of  the  search,  Thomas  was  charged  with:

  • Keeping  a  breeding  establishment  without  a  license  from  the  council  –  a  breach  of  the  1973   Breeding  of  Dogs  Act.
  • Failing  to  ensure  the  needs  of  her  dogs  were  met  –  a  breach  of  the  2006  Animal  Welfare  Act
  • Presenting  herself  as  a  “member”  of  online  selling  sites  and  not  a  “breeder”
  • AND,   engaging  in  a   misleading  commercial  practice  contrary  to  the  Consumer  Protection  from  Unfair  Trading   Regulations  Act  and  the  Fraud  Act.

She  admitted  the  offences  and  was  placed  on  a  12  month  supervision  order  and banned  from   breeding  dogs  for  five  years.

Following  the  successful  court  case,  the  Proceeds  of  Crime  investigations  then began, which  involved   months  of  work  to  match  dated  picture  of  puppies  and  adverts placed  on  a  variety  of  online  selling   sites  to  prove  the  profit  that  had  been  made and  calculate  the  profit  made  from  the  prices  they  were   sold  at  –  some  as  high  as £750  per  puppy.

The  £4,000  confiscation  order  relates  to  the  calculated  profit  she  made  during  the period  of  the   offending  and  the  costs  relate  to  the  cost  of  bringing  Proceeds  of Crime  action  against  her.

Paul  Mee,  Rhondda  Cynon  Taf  Council’s  Director  of  Public  Health  and  Protection, said:  “This  is   something  of  a  landmark  case  for  us  and  shows  the  legislation  we have  access  to  –  and  can  use   effectively  –  to  deal  with  those  who  make  a  profit from  criminal  activity.

“This  was  a  complicated  case  involving  a  lot  of  puppies  and  a  lot  of  prices  and  officers  involved  should  be  commended  for  the  professionalism  and  tenacity  they  have  shown  to  recover  the  profit  of   criminal  activity.

“Importantly,  this  case  is  not  just  about  making  money  from  crime.  Breeders  like  Susan  Thomas  have   a  legal  responsibility  to  ensure  they  are  licensed  so  the  necessary  and  regular  checks  can  be  made  on   their  breeding  operation  and  ensure  the  welfare  of  the  animals.

“We  thank  the  Italian  Rescue  Greyhound  Charity  for  their  support  in  this  case.”


To read more about this case, please click here.


**UPDATE** 29th March 2016 **


  • From judging at any KC-licensed event;

Further details can be found here.





































The Italian Greyhound Cash Cow

With the news that Consumer Direct reported a concerning 40% increase in the number of complaints they have received related to the purchase of pets, largely dogs between 2006 and 2008, and 5,000 complaints in 2008 we are not surprised. Live puppies and dogs whether bought from a person or trading establishment are covered by the Sale of Goods Act 1979.

The reason? The advent of the internet in the late 1990’s, prior to this breeders advertised their IG puppies in certain publications and these breeders were generally known and discouraged by responsible IG breeders. Sadly for the poor IGs it is now so easy for these breeders to sit in the comfort of their own home and advertise puppies or stud dogs on the internet, whilst some of the poor dogs being used to breed from are being kept outside, or confined to wire cages with no life other than producing puppies.

The Internet provides a false front, a flowery advert, directly aimed at making the IG into a ‘must have breed’ – miniature whippets, as delicate to look at as a piece of porcelain, if that is what you want, have the porcelain on your mantelpiece, all you will need to do is dust it occasionally, without the true commitment of a life with an IG.

On average 18 new adverts per week appear on the internet, common sites such as Epupz, Preloved, Classified Ads and many others, featuring pictures of barely dry puppies or only a few weeks old, being held up legs a straddle, fearful tiny eyes. Really loved puppies look happy and relaxed, but not these poor little mites and there are so many of them.

It doesn’t stop at puppies, adults who don’t have a useful purpose are advertised too, without breeding restrictions, inciting other unscrupulous people to buy an IG and use them for their own gain, with no thought as to their welfare. Even sick dogs with a fractured limb have been sold, better to reduce the price and let someone else have the problem and the vets bills, and even worse with inherited life threatening diseases, where an obviously ill puppy was advertised on the internet three times over and eventually the last advertiser said she was depressed, realising that this was the third time this 9 month old puppy was up for sale, we were able to do something about it and save her life, but we can’t save them all.

Of course the real reason for all the IG’s being bred is nothing other than money, puppies are being sold regularly for anything up to £2,000, money does not ensure a permanent loving home for the IG.

The Italian Greyhound Rescue Charity reject as unsuitable many homes at the initial enquiry stage and a number each year fail the essential home check for suitability for an IG. Before much longer our delightful breed is going to become the must have accessory which past breeders and owners have always fought so hard to ensure this doesn’t happen with all the awful consequences that ensue.

We would like to see an amendment to the animal Welfare act to ban the advertising of dogs on the internet; you too can help by spreading the word to never consider buying an Italian Greyhound advertised on the internet and by informing admirers of an Italian Greyhound’s true needs and what they are like to live with.

Of course for the breed to survive we will always need dedicated breeders who really care about the offspring they produce and always keep in touch with their new owners to give any help and advice, not people who breed teens of puppies, how can anyone possibly keep track of 90+ puppies and be able to help if there is a problem if their only concern is producing yet more for money?

Italian Greyhound Breeder Prosecuted Under the Animal Welfare Act





