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CHECK A BREEDER exists to unite licensed, responsible breeders and protect the public from scams, backyard operations and poor welfare. If you hold a valid local-authority breeding licence and share our welfare-first values, we’d love to feature you.
Who should apply
Breeders licensed by a local authority (council) in:

• England (licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations 2018)
• Wales (licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Wales) Regulations 2021)
• Scotland (licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Scotland) Regulations 2021)
• Northern Ireland (licensed under the Welfare of Animals (Dog Breeding Establishments) Regulations (NI) 2013)

We welcome responsible breeders of dogs, cats and other species where licensing applies. Hobby/unlicensed breeding is not accepted.

• Trust that converts: We verify your licence directly with your council’s licensing team so buyers know you operate legally and responsibly.
• Verified profile & badge: Approved breeders receive a CHECK A BREEDER Verified Breeder digital badge and a searchable profile in our directory.
• Stand out from bad actors: We educate buyers on red flags and list only vetted, licensed breeders.
• Ethics-first community: Show your commitment to animal welfare and transparent buyer education via our Code of Ethics.
• Targeted visibility: Buyers filter by breed, region and availability—bringing serious, well-informed enquiries.

A £30 annual membership fee is payable when you submit your application and renews every year to keep your listing active. This cost-recovery fee helps cover:

• Manual licence checks with your local authority/council
• Secure handling and review of your documents
• Identity and business-detail matching
• Fraud and impersonation screening
• Creation of your public directory profile
• Issuing your CHECK A BREEDER Verified digital badge + usage guidelines
• Basic support and renewal reminders

The fee supports the verification and onboarding work required to keep the directory accurate and trustworthy. It does not influence the outcome of checks and should not be taken as approval.

Start your verification
Complete the form below and upload the requested documents. We’ll review and contact your licensing authority to confirm details. If approved, we’ll publish your profile and email your badge.
What we verify (UK)

• Licence validity (number, issuing council, premises, scope/species, issue/expiry dates)
• Star rating (England) or equivalent inspection outcome, where issued
• Identity of the licence holder and trading name
• Compliance signals (insurance in place, welfare standards consistent with our Code of Ethics)

Documents to upload (clear scans/photos: PDF/JPG/PNG)

1. Local-authority breeding licence (showing number, issuing council and expiry)
2. Photo ID of the licence holder (passport or driving licence)
3. Proof of address for the licensed premises (recent utility/council letter)
4. Insurance certificate (public liability/relevant cover)
5. Optional supporting documents (latest inspection summary, breed club registrations, sales contract template, health-testing overview)

By applying, you authorise CHECK A BREEDER to contact your local authority to confirm your licence and inspection status.

What happens next

1. Apply & pay: Submit your form, uploads, and the £30 annual membership fee (renewed every year) via secure checkout.
2. Checks: We verify with the council licensing team and review your materials.
3. Outcome: If approved, your CHECK A BREEDER Verified profile goes live and we send your badge + usage guidelines.
4. Ongoing: We may request updates at renewal or if your details change.

CHECK A BREEDER Verified Badge — usage rules

• The badge may be displayed only while your local-authority licence is valid and your CHECK A BREEDER listing is active.
• Display the badge unaltered and link it to your public CHECK A BREEDER profile.
• You may place the badge on websites, emails and social media you control for your licensed operation.
• Do not imply CHECK A BREEDER endorses particular litters/animals; the badge signals licensing + verification, not product endorsement.
• If your licence lapses, is suspended/revoked, or your details change, you must remove the badge and notify CHECK A BREEDER within 7 days.
• Misuse of the badge may result in removal from the directory and notification to the relevant authority.

Renewal & ongoing compliance

• We aim to remind you 30 days before licence expiry to upload your renewed licence.
• Annual membership: Your £30 membership fee renews every year to keep your listing and badge active; we’ll send a reminder ahead of renewal.
• You must inform CHECK A BREEDER within 7 days of material changes (premises, scope/breeds, trading name, star rating/inspection outcome).
• We may conduct periodic spot checks with councils to keep listings accurate.

Privacy (UK GDPR)
We process your data to assess your application, verify with your local authority, publish your approved profile, manage renewals and enforce badge usage. We store documents securely and do not publish your private uploads. Public profiles may display: trading name, region, breeds, licence number, issuing authority and expiry date (and star rating in England, where issued). For details, see our Privacy Policy.
Misrepresentation
Providing false or misleading information may result in refusal or removal from the directory and, where appropriate, notification to the licensing authority.