Petfished

Puppies and kittens should never be sold under the age of 8 weeks old. Research the breed so you know roughly how big the animal should be at that age. 

Pedigree kittens are usually re-homed when they are over 12-13 weeks old. This is to allow reputable breeders to have completed the kittens’ first vaccinations before they go to their new homes.

Are they advertising lots of litters from different breeds? If so, then they may be a deceitful seller.

Copy and paste the phone number and advert description into a search engine. If the same phone number is being used on lots of different pet adverts, or multiple adverts come up on different sites with different dates, this is a red flag.  

If a puppy or kitten is advertised as having a pet passport, it may have been imported. 

Puppies and kittens need to be at least 15 weeks to travel from the EU and certain other countries, or seven months old from unlisted ‘third’ countries. If they are advertised as younger than this but with a pet passport, this is a red flag.  

Make sure you understand what medical treatment your puppy or kitten will have had and how it will be socialised for the first few weeks of its life. 

Low welfare sellers often won’t socialise animals, which can lead to behavioural issues for your new pet. 

Once you’re comfortable that the puppy or kitten seller looks reputable, make sure you ring them before arranging a visit. If they don’t provide a phone number, this is a red flag. 

You should never feel pressured into buying a pet. Does the conversation feel rushed, or are they pushing for a quick sale? If so, this is not a good sign and you should look for a different seller. 

A responsible seller will want the animal to go to a good home. The seller should be engaged and asking you questions to assess your suitability as an owner. If they are not doing so, this should be a warning sign. 

The introduction of Lucy’s Law now means that it is illegal for people to sell puppies and kittens unless they have bred them.  

Make sure you understand what medical treatment your puppy or kitten will have had by the time they are ready to leave their mother. Ask the following: 

• Which vaccinations has the animal had? 
• Which vaccines or boosters are still required, and when are they needed? 
• Has the animal been neutered? 
• Does the animal or its parents have any health issues?
• Is the puppy or kitten microchipped? 

Although all dogs can suffer from inherited conditions, some breeds are affected more than others. Responsible breeders should be able to provide evidence that they provide health screening for parents and litters in line with specialist advice, such as that provided by the British Veterinary Association.

Remember to use the Puppy Contract and Kitten Checklist to cover off all the important information you will need.

Ask where the animal is being kept and how it’s being socialised. Deceitful sellers often won’t socialise animals, which can lead to behavioural issues for your new pet. Ask the following: 

• Do the parents or the animal have any behavioural issues? 
• How have you socialised the puppy or kitten? 
• Will the animal’s mum be present when I visit? 
• Can I see where the animal was bred when I visit? 

You should always meet the seller, the mother and the litter in their home before agreeing to a sale. You shouldn’t feel rushed into paying a deposit before you’ve seen the pet in person. We also recommend using a traceable payment method and getting a receipt for any money paid.

Deceitful sellers often suggest meeting in a location that’s convenient for you – such as your own home, somewhere nearby, or a halfway point – to avoid showing you the animal’s living conditions.   

They will use an array of tactics to fool you into thinking they are the person that bred the animal: sometimes the location has been rented for a short period of time and a different litter is being shipped in every few days for them to sell.

Unscrupulous dealers often separate the puppy or kitten from their family. You should see the animal interacting with its mother and siblings. You should also be able to see and handle the rest of the litter. 

If you are given the chance to buy your pet without seeing the mother, or where it was raised, it suggests that it was reared in a low-welfare setting like a puppy farm. 

When you meet the puppy or kitten, they should be sociable and alert, with bright eyes and no visible health issues. They should not look nervous or dirty.

If you are not sure how to identify health or behaviour issues, you should seek professional advice.

Puppies should be microchipped from 8 weeks of age and registered to the seller before sale. Kittens may not be. 

If the breeder claims the animal has been vaccinated and/or microchipped, ask to see records of these. Records include vaccination certificates and evidence of worming and flea treatments.  

A good breeder will share these with you before sale, and will not claim that they have misplaced or that they will send them later. 

For puppies, if they are advertised as Kennel Club registered, make sure you get a copy of their Registration Certificate before you buy the puppy. Similarly, for kittens advertised as GCCF registered, make sure you get a copy of the Registration Certificate before you buy the kitten.

If you’re rescuing a cat or dog, you can start by checking if the rescue organisation is a member of the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes (ADCH) [external link].

A good rescue and rehoming organisation will check your suitability first and usually use an adoption contract. They will help you choose the right dog or cat for you and give you advice on caring for your new pet.

Some dogs and cats are illegally imported, and could carry diseases that are harmful to other pets. There is also a higher risk of behavioural and welfare issues due to poor breeding and rehoming.

If you are adopting a cat or dog from abroad, they need to be fully vaccinated against rabies. More information can be found at GOV.UK [external link] 

If a puppy or kitten is advertised as having a pet passport, it may have been imported.

Puppies and kittens need to be at least 15 weeks to travel from the EU and certain other countries, or 7 months old from unlisted ‘third’ countries. If they are advertised as younger than this but with a pet passport, this is a red flag.