Buying and selling pets
Contents
Over half the households in the UK own a pet, whether they're conventional pets or more unusual animals. There are laws that regulate the keeping of pets and additional laws that apply to unusual pets.
This section looks at the legal regulations involved in keeping a pet.
Introduction to your legal rights
Before buying or selling your pet, you'll need to make sure you've followed your legal responsibilities. See this section to see what laws are involved.
Dangerous animals
If you own a dangerous animal, you must ensure you create no risk to members of the public and look after the animals. View this section for more information.
Horses or ponies
Any person buying a horse or pony has the same rights as if they bought any other goods. Read this section to make sure you're abiding by the rules of buying or selling this animal.
Dogs or puppies
There are specific laws related to the buying and selling of dogs generally, and extra laws related to dangerous dogs. See this section to make sure you're following the rules.
Cats or kittens
If you're buying or selling a cat or kitten, make sure you know your rights and that the seller is complying with the law.
What is the law guide
The Desktop Lawyer law guide aims to present the law to you in a comprehensive yet jargon-free and easy-to-read format. Our law guide is constantly kept up to date with changes in business and family law by our team of in house solicitors, and includes information across all the legal jurisdictions in the UK.
Our law guide is free to use. Where we provide documents related to this area of law, or where they may help you with any legal issue in this area, they will be listed to the right of this message.