If you sell or supply 6 or more animals (not just dogs) you are required to register with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Marine (DAFM). This was introduced in the Animal Health and Welfare (Sale or Supply of Pet Regulations) Act of 2019. The law applies to commercial suppliers, charities and individuals alike.
Each Registered Seller will receive a certificate that looks like this, and they are required to present it when asked and to the Unique Registration Number in their ads (both online or offline).
Check the register
You can download and search the current list via www.gov.ie/registered-pet-sellers, this list is updated bi-weekly by the DAFM (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine). Publication of this list started on February 15th 2021. We have some historical data points of how this list has grown over time.
Growth of registered sellers in Ireland
The number of Registered Sellers of Pets dropped significantly in February – June 2023, due to 2 additional rules.
- Registration expires after 12 months.
- The requirement of an inspection from your vet.
Register as a Registered Seller
This can be be done by visiting www.gov.ie/registered-pet-sellers and downloading the application form. Typically responses with an ID come back in 24 – 48 hours during the work week. More about becoming a registered seller can be seen here.
Note: you can print this off and email a photo of the filled out form to PetSalesRegister@agriculture.gov.ie
Note: if you have 6 or more breeding bitches you are required to register with your local county council and apply for a Dog Breeding Establishment (DBE) license instead.
What it means to be on the register
There is no cost to be on the register, and as we mention registering is simple and easy to do. Once you register your location of where you breed your dogs will be recorded and you will be required to record certain logs of any sale that you do, including
- The name and address of the buyer of your dog(s). When transferring a microchip certificate this is already needed, to verify the person’s identity.
- The date of the transaction
- The description of the animal (breed, colour, sex, markings)
- etc.
Also in ads from Registered Sellers they are required by law to include their ID in all ads selling dogs, both online and offline. On dogs.ie this information is contained in the Breeder ID field of your user profile and is automatically added to your ads if one is present, making it easier for you to be in compliance with the laws.
Removal from list
It is also possible to remove yourself from the list by contacting the Department should you no longer intend to sell 6 or more dogs in a year. To this you can simply email the Department and request removal.
