Made licensed breeders easier to find
Created the directory to help buyers discover licensed breeders and learn about their breeding practices.
Our story. Our purpose.
A collective voice for licensed breeders.
We bring breeders together through education, practical tools and representation, with better welfare for dogs and greater confidence for buyers at the heart of our work.
Our story
My Licensed Breeder began during the COVID pandemic, when we saw a surge in demand for dogs and puppies. Alongside that demand came breeding driven by the opportunity to make money, and troubling accounts of illness, infection and buyers left unsure where to turn.
We were concerned by how easily paperwork could create reassurance without giving buyers a clear understanding of how a puppy had been bred. There was confusion about what pedigree registration meant and how it differed from a breeding licence.
We wanted to understand what protections already existed and how we could help.
Why we started
We discovered that a licensing system was already in place, but our experience suggested that councils were struggling to keep pace with demand and enforcement. We saw an opportunity to make licensing more visible, explain its purpose and support breeders in meeting their responsibilities.
We want more people to see the value of regulation and choose to engage with it.
Built by listening
Before developing our services, we surveyed licensed breeders to understand their experiences. A recurring frustration was why people making commercial puppy sales appeared able to operate without a licence, while licensed breeders invested time and money in meeting their responsibilities.
Breeders also described paperwork as a major barrier, with uncertainty about the records they needed and differences in what councils asked them to provide. Those conversations shaped what we built.
What we’ve done
Developed Digital PawPrint
Brought policies, routines and records into one quality management system, helping breeders organise their responsibilities and present evidence consistently.
Created opportunities to learn
Delivered workshops, training and practical guidance for new and experienced breeders.
Taken breeders’ experiences into wider discussions
Contributed to roundtables, breeding groups and events in Parliament, raising the challenges described by licensed breeders.
Representation in action
Making breeders’ voices heard
Our work has taken us into roundtable discussions, breeding groups and events in Parliament. We attend to bring licensed breeders’ experiences into conversations about breeding, regulation and animal welfare.
We want those discussions to include the people working within the licensing system: the responsibilities they take seriously, the challenges they face and the changes they believe would help.
Working with others
Through our engagement with the Institute of Licensing, we work with councils and contribute breeders’ experiences to discussions about licensing. Our connections with the Dog Breeding Reform Group charity also bring us into conversations with people across the veterinary and animal welfare community.
We welcome opportunities to work with breeders, councils, vets and charities who share an interest in practical improvements to animal welfare.
Talk to us about working togetherA shared future
Our ambition is to develop MLB into a cooperative, bringing breeders, councils and charities together to help shape its direction. We want practical experience, regulatory knowledge and animal welfare expertise to inform what we do next.
This is our ambition for the future. Today, members help shape the network through surveys, conversations and feedback on the support we provide.
A little more about MLB.
Why isn’t MLB a charity?
We chose a structure that allows us to make decisions directly and put practical ideas into action. When breeders identify a problem, we want to respond, develop a solution and improve it through experience.
Does MLB issue breeding licences?
MLB provides education, practical tools and representation. Licensing decisions remain with local authorities.
How do members shape the network?
Surveys, conversations and feedback help us understand everyday challenges, develop our support and identify the issues to raise in wider discussions.