How to avoid buying a dog from a puppy farm

The RSPCA has revealed the extent of the surging puppy farm industry in a new report.

Dogs bought from puppy farms are often kept in squalid conditions and suffer from health problems.

How can you avoid buying a dog from a puppy farm?

A King Charles spaniel with her puppies kept in a small cage Credit: RSPCA

There are lots of questions to ask the breeder and things to check for when you go to see a puppy for the first time to make sure it is healthy.

If you buy a dog from a puppy farm it can suffer life-long health problems that are expensive to treat and it helps fund potentially illegal operations.

Several animal welfare charities have teamed up to provide a "puppy contract" which sets out in detail what you need to know when buying a puppy.

Questions to ask the breeder

Rows of tiny cages holding dogs with barely room to move Credit: RSPCA

Before you even go and see the puppy, there are questions to should ask the breeder on the phone. The RSPCA recommends you ask:

  • Did they breed the puppy?

  • Are the puppies kept where they were bred?

  • How many puppies are/were in the litter?

  • Have the puppies or their parents had any health problems?

  • Have the puppies been treated for worms or other parasites?

  • Have, or will, the puppies be given their first vaccinations before going to their new homes?

  • Have the parents been screened for any inherited problems known to be a problem in that breed?

  • Do the puppies have any form of identification, such as microchips?

Visiting the breeder

A chocolate coloured puppy pokes his nose through the bars of his barren enclosure Credit: RSPCA

There are things to look for when you go and see the puppy for the first time to ensure it is happy and healthy.

  • Always make sure you see the mother and her pups together.

  • Make sure the puppy's mother looks healthy.

  • Look for clues that the puppy was actually born there.

  • Ask to see certificates of screening for problem diseases, vaccination and microchipping records.

  • Check for any signs of illness.

  • Try and look for a happy interactive puppy. Spend plenty of time with the dog and don't feel rushed.

  • Don't buy on the first visit - go back and see it again.

  • No matter how cute the puppy is or how much you want a dog - the RSPCA warns to never buy a puppy if you have doubts about the breeder or situation as buying the puppy could fund an illegal operation.