Free to a good home or pay for a licence
Animal adoptions will not be affected by new regulations that are expected to make it illegal to sell animals without a licence. So while pet owners will still be able to advertise that they are looking for a new home for their puppies or kittens, it...
Animal adoptions will not be affected by new regulations that are expected to make it illegal to sell animals without a licence.
Pet owners will still be able to advertise that they are looking for a new home for their puppies or kittens
So while pet owners will still be able to advertise that they are looking for a new home for their puppies or kittens, it will be illegal to put a price on the exchange without having a specific trade licence.
These regulations will mainly impact people who breed animals, especially pure breeds, and then sell the litter from home.
A look at the classified adverts and online advertising sites shows several pure breed animals for sale. These include Labradors, Pugs and Cavalier King Charles puppies as well as Persian and Siamese kittens.
Other adverts, mainly online, aim to find adoptive families for puppies and kittens that are often not pure breeds.
The Times reported this month that the animal welfare directorate was investigating an advert selling baby monkeys, posted on a popular online trading site, since apes can only be sold by a licensed person.
The directorate said this legal principle will soon be extended to all four-legged pets, including puppies and kittens, as new regulations will make it illegal to sell them without a licence.
So far there are some restrictions on selling dogs through regulations on dog breeding that stipulate that those who breed more than four litters a year require a special licence.
But regulations on the protection of animals offered in pet shops, currently in draft form, will change everything.
The regulations will soon be published in the Government Gazette.
On hearing about the regulations, animal lovers were concerned that they would make it harder for them to home their pets’ litter or strays.
However, a spokesman for the directorate reassured them that the regulations are limited to trade and will not apply to animal adoptions.
Under the new regulations, no trader may stock, keep, sell or offer for sale any animal without a licence from the veterinary services.
An additional licence would be required in the case of exotic animals.
There is an exception for a limited number of bird species that may be sold in open markets or street markets, provided that certain animal welfare conditions are satisfied, the spokesman said.