Minimum legal age

[Jaybee]

Is there a minimum age at which a puppy can LEGALLY be sold, from an 'ordinary' breeder, not a licenced one? From a licenced breeder it has to be 8 weeks old - but I thought from unlicenced breeders the age is 6 weeks - and other people say there is no legal minimum. A definitive answer (with proof if poss!) please.

[templeman]

A puppy can be sold at any age. It can be sold even before it is born. However, it is unwise to remove it from it's mother before it is eight weeks old.

[Jaybee]

That wasn't what I asked, templeman.... :( Perhaps I should reword it - is there a minimum legal age at which a puppy can be parted from its mother?

[templeman]

No there is no minimum age at which a puppy can be parted from it's mother. Not for any puppy, whatever type of breeder it comes from. Not for commercial dealers or private sources. However, I repeat what I said before, it is not good to remove a puppy from it's mother until about 8 weeks when it is fully weaned, otherwise the pup is most likely to have problems.
Just a small point Jaybee. In your original question you used the word sold and now you have used the word parted. So I've now answered both of your questions.

[Jaybee]

The Breeding and Selling of Dogs Act states that puppies produced by licenced breeders may not legally be sold/parted from their mother/otherwise 'moved on' until they are 8 weeks of age. So I'm afraid part of your answer is incorrect. I shall have to seek help elsewhere I feel.

[Jaybee]

I KNOW the Act only applies to licenced breeders!!!! That was the whole point of the question - I want to know if there is a similar law applying to non-licenced breeders!! I also apologise for not having a degree in tautology.

[Jaybee]

I do apologise. When I worked for the RSPCA, the legal minimum age was 6 weeks. It appears from your answers that this has been repealed. There was no need for anyone to jump down my throat with semantics. Sorry again. I won't bother this site in future.

[Jaybee]

The Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999 appears very clear on the use of the word "sold". It was this definition I was using.

[Spellmaster]

Jeybee, we don't want you not to use the site; simply to avoid being rude or sarcastic to people who are genuinely trying to help you. No-one was "jumping down your throat with semantics" - you had used two different words with very different meanings, and since you wanted a "definitive" answer (your word) templeman merely tried to clarify exactly which word you meant, a perfectly reasonable thing to do. In return you were unneccessarily sarcastic, and that is no way to treat someone trying to help you.

[Spellmaster]

Einstein was also being helpful in suggesting you contact the RSPCA, but not even that got any appreciation from you. It's very rude.

[Toglet]

Unfortunately templeman appears to be wrong. Jaybee was asking about unlicenced breeders. The Act quoted is certainly clear that a icenced breeder may NOT sell a puppy to a member of the public before it is 8 weeks old. So a puppy cannot be sold before it is born. Poor Jaybee! Nobody did get round to answering his question.