Since 2022, we have launched the ability for breeders in Northern Ireland to advertise on dogs.ie, being the first truly compliant classified ads website for Ireland. As the laws are significantly different in Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland and we have had to update certain parts of the website to support these sellers. Some of these differences are now even bigger post Brexit, e.g. pet passport requirements.
We believe strongly in an all-Ireland solution, for both buyers and sellers on either side of the boarder, they should be able to find homes / dogs from anywhere on the island of Ireland. The same trust and transparency mottos are still stand and we aim to help sellers stay compliant with their legal obligations around advertising, selling dogs and puppies.
Types of Sellers of Dogs in Northern Ireland
There are two types of sellers on our site,
- Hobby Breeder – keeps 1 or 2 breeding bitches
- Licensed Breeder –
- keeps 3 or more breeding bitches and one of the following
- supplies 3 or more litters of puppies in a 12 month period
- advertises 3 or more litters for sale in a 12 month period
- advertises as being a business that breeds or sells puppies
- keeps 3 or more breeding bitches and one of the following
Ads by Licensed Breeders on dogs.ie will include their breeder license number and the maximum number of breeding bitches that license is for.
Laws on selling dogs in Northern Ireland
By law all dogs in the UK over the age of 8 weeks must be microchipped, this is covered under The Dogs (Licensing and Identification) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 (LINK) . We recommend all sellers of dogs in Northern Ireland read the links below.
- https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/council-licensing-dog-breeding-establishments
- https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/dog-licensing-and-microchipping#toc-2
Dogs.ie requires all dogs to be microchipped before they are advertised for sale.
Northern Irish Registries
Legally, sellers in Northern Ireland can register their dogs on 1 of 22 approved database. All dogs have to be microchipped and registered in one of these databases to be sold. Our system is designed to only support ones that show on EuroPetNet. These are the 3 UK registries that support EuroPetNet
Alternatively you can register your dog on a different UK one and on one of the approved Irish registries (IKC, ICC / Microdog, Animark, Fido).
Dog Breeding Establishments
Breeders who are deemed to be a Dog Breeding Establishment, based on the Welfare of Animals (Dog Breeding Establishments and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2013, will need to share their breeders licence. We will display the licence ID and number of breeding bitches this issued license is for, in your ads.
Dog Breeding Establishment licences are issued by your local district council, in order to qualify for such a licence you will need to have your premises inspected and pay the licensing fee. The fees are set by local district councils, and may vary from area to area. For more information please contact your district council.
Becoming a Dog Breeding Establishment
To become a dog breeding establishment you need to apply in writing to your local council. Here are the current number of Dog Breeding Establishments in Northern Ireland.
| Council | DBE list found online | Source | Number of licenses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belfast City | N/A | N/A | 0 |
| Derry and Strabane | N/A | N/A | 0 |
| Antrim and Newtownabbey | No | N/A | 1 |
| Lisburn and Castlereagh | No | N/A | 1 |
| Mid and East Antrim | No | N/A | 1 |
| Causeway Coast and Glen | No | N/A | 3 |
| Ards and North Down | No | N/A | 4 |
| Mid Ulster | No | N/A | 8 |
| Fermanagh and Omagh | No | N/A | 8 |
| Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon | No | N/A | 9 |
| Newry, Mourne and Down | No | N/A | 11 |
| Total | 48 |
Costs of a Dog Breeding Establishment License
Fees are outlined by the Welfare of Animals (Dog Breeding Establishments and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2013 act, Part II Section 8. These license fees are paid annually and are dependent on the number of bitches kept:
- where 10 or less bitches are kept, £150
- where 11 to 25 bitches are kept, £200
- where 26 to 50 bitches are kept, £250
- where 51 to 100 bitches are kept, £300
- where 101 to 200 bitches are kept, £350
- where more than 200 bitches are kept, £350 plus an amount of £50 for every additional 100 bitches.
Importing a dog from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland
The same rules apply as to other countries. All dogs need to be 15 weeks of age and have had their rabies vaccinations at 12 weeks of age. Dogs being brought across the border also need a EU Pet Passport.
All dogs brought into Ireland need to be registered with an Irish database within 21 days of coming into Ireland. Your vet can assist in doing this on your first vet checkup.
Importing a dog from the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland
Again, the same rules apply as to other countries. All dogs need to be 15 weeks of age and have had their rabies vaccinations at 12 weeks of age. Dogs being brought across the border also need a EU Pet Passport.
More information can be found here https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/travelling-pets
