Over a quarter of dog owners admit pet came from a puppy farm where animals bred in poor conditions

More prospective dog owners are buying their pets from puppy farms, where animals are bred in poor conditions, new research shows

New research has revealed that more than one in four UK dog owners may have bought their pet unintentionally from a puppy farm.

Statistics from The Kennel Club show that a quarter of dog owners refuse to travel more than an hour to pick up or visit their puppy before welcoming it into their home, with almost three in 10 admitting they spend less than a day researching their decision and the breeder.

Of those would who travelled less than an hour to pick up their new dog, more than half did not see their puppy interacting with its mum or the puppy’s breeding environment and where they slept, ate or played.

About two thirds did not see their puppy’s vaccination certificates and more than three quarters were not asked about suitability for puppy ownership.

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The research shows that of the owners who spent less than day researching breed and breeders, almost a third of their puppies become unwell or died in their first year.

The Kennel Club launched their ‘Be Puppywise’ campaign aimed at helping want-to-be dog owners find a legitimate breeder with useful resources.

Figures are based on survey of 2,610 dog owners carried out as part of The Kennel Club’s Be Puppywise campaign, by Censuswide, in August 2024.

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