New bill will crack down on puppy farms and target cruel breeders

A BILL to introduce stricter regulations of dog breeders is “something people want to see action on", the Dail has been told.

- BY JOE O'SHEA

Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore, who proposed the draft law, said most people can understand the need and urgency for it.

The Dog Welfare (Amendment) Bill 2025 was debated in the Dail yesterday, where TDs raised concerns about animal cruelty and how some dog breeders “exploit” families in the run-up to Christmas.

The Government, which initially said it would delay the bill by 12 months, agreed to a nine-month delay by the end of the debate, which was accepted by the Social Democrats.

“This is something that people want to see action on, and it doesn't matter what party they support,” she said.

The legislation, drafted in consultation with representatives of Dog Law Ireland, contains measures including a cap on the number of breeding females at 30 per site, a minimum age of 10 weeks for pup separation and the outlawing of surgical artificial insemination.

For breeding dogs, it also introduces a 16-month minimum age for breeding and eight-year maximum age, a maximum of one litter per year per breeding female, and a maximum of four litters per breeding female during her lifetime.