Nova Scotia’s Animal Protection Act (2018)

Nova Scotia’s Standards of Care for Cats and Dogs Regulations (2019)

Canadian Veterinary Medical Association’s Code of Practice for Canadian Kennel Operations

Canadian Veterinary Medical Association’s Position Statement on Dog Breeding

Advisory Council on the Welfare Issues of Dog Breeding: Standard for Breeding Dogs

An example of legislation from the UK:

Dog breeding licensing: statutory guidance for local authorities

Required higher standards for protecting dogs from pain, suffering, injury and disease:

All bitches must be at least 18 months old before they are used for mating.

A bitch must not be mated if she is 8 years of age or older.

A bitch must not give birth to more than four litters of puppies in total.

A bitch must not be bred from if they have had one caesarean.

Licence holders must test all breeding stock for hereditary disease using the accepted and scientifically validated health screening schemes relevant to their breed or type. They must carefully evaluate all test results and follow any breeding advice issued under each scheme prior to breeding.

No mating must take place if the test results indicate that it is likely to produce health or welfare problems in the offspring or affect negatively the relevant breeding strategy (or both).

Surgery to correct exaggerated conformation must be reported to the registration organisation.

A vet must check each puppy before sale. Proof of the check must be held and available to the puppy buyer.

A puppy contract must be used, which must include undertakings and warranties around health, vaccinations and socialisation carried out by the seller prior to sale, and also make clear the responsibilities of the buyer relative to the dog.

This must then give both parties confidence that a transaction has taken place in good faith.