Animal welfare comes first.

Core welfare needs

In England and Wales, owners and keepers must take reasonable steps to meet an animal’s welfare needs. Similar duties exist elsewhere in the UK.

• A suitable environment.
• A suitable diet and fresh water.
• The ability to exhibit normal behaviour patterns.
• Appropriate housing with, or apart from, other animals according to the dog’s needs.
• Protection from pain, suffering, injury and disease.

Official overview: GOV.UK – caring for pets.

Minimum standards for adverts

• Accurately state the dog’s age, sex, health, ownership status and location.
• Use current photographs of the actual dog or litter unless clearly identified otherwise.
• Disclose known material health and behavioural information.
• Do not separate puppies from their mother prematurely or encourage collection below the lawful minimum age.
• Provide appropriate veterinary care and do not use an advert as a substitute for necessary treatment.
• Do not breed from dogs where doing so would be unlawful or knowingly cause avoidable suffering.

Puppies and their mother

Prospective owners should normally be able to see a puppy with its biological mother in the place where it was bred and raised. Sellers must not manufacture a false home environment or present another dog as the mother.

Commercial and licensed sellers must comply with additional conditions, including age, breeding and record-keeping requirements.

Welfare concerns

ePuP may pause or remove an advert and request information where there are credible concerns about neglect, illegal breeding, unsuitable conditions, serious untreated illness, puppy farming, trafficking or cruelty.

If an animal is in immediate danger, users should contact the appropriate emergency or animal-welfare authority rather than relying solely on an ePuP report.