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Pet shops and dealers in England will be banned from selling puppies and kittens under government plans.
The proposals, which have gone out to consultation, will entail those wanting to buy or adopt a pet less than six months old will have to go to the breeder or a rescue centre.
A ban on licensed vendors dealing in dogs and cats less than eight weeks old is already coming in on 1 October.
Campaigners welcomed the announcement, but warned of “potential loopholes”.
The ban aims to reduce the health problems associated which emerge when animals are reared in poor conditions.
It is a victory for the Lucy’s Law campaign, which has been calling for the ban to be implemented.
The campaign was named after a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who was badly treated in the puppy farming system.
Lucy was rescued in 2013 at five years old from a Welsh puppy farm. She had a series of health problems, including a curved spine as a result of being kept in a cramped cage, and epilepsy. She died in 2016.
A petition supporting Lucy’s Law was signed by virtually 150,000 people and was debated in Parliament in May.
There are no records of the number of puppies sold via third party, but the animal charity Blue Cross has estimated it is between 40,000 and 80,000 per year in Great Britain.
The Department for Environment, Food and rural Affairs said fewer than 100 third party vendors – which includes some pet stores – are licensed in England.
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