Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The requirement to register with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine as a seller or supplier of pet animals under the Animal Health and Welfare (Sale or Supply of Pet Animals) Regulations 2019 applies to persons other than those who are already required to register with their local authority under the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010.

Dog breeding establishments are regulated by and fall under the remit of the Minister for Rural and Community Development. Controls relating to these establishments rest with that Department and the relevant local authorities.

With the exception of those registered under the Dog Breeding Establishment Act 2010, sellers and suppliers of more than six pet animals in a given year must register with my Department and maintain certain records.

In addition, all advertisements for the sale or supply of pet animals must include certain minimum information about the pet and the seller or supplier.

Earlier this year, my colleague Minister or Rural and Community Development Humphreys and I established a working group on the Control of Dogs and its report was approved by cabinet at the end of March and is available at gov.ie - Working Group on Control of Dogs (www.gov.ie).

One of the recommendations of that report was to review the pet sales register. This is now completed with the revised list available at gov.ie - Rules on the Sale, Supply and Advertising of Pet Animals (www.gov.ie).

Should anyone be aware of any person selling pets, who is not registered under either the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 or under the Animal Health and Welfare (Sale or Supply of Pet Animals) Regulations 2019, they should contact the relevant Department.