Guide
What a five star breeding licence actually means
Plenty of breeders mention a star rating. Very few explain who awards it, what it is measuring, or how you would check one. It is a genuinely useful signal, and it takes about two minutes to verify.
The rating, in short
A council licence rating, not a breeding award. What it covers and what it leaves out is set out below.
- Scale One to five stars
- One star One year licence
- Three stars Two year licence
- Five stars Three year licence — the longest allowed
- Catrigg Five star, licence number 10573
Where the rating comes from
In England, breeding dogs commercially requires a licence from the local council under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018. It is the council that inspects, and the council that issues the licence.
As part of that inspection the breeder is given a star rating from one to five. It is not a trade body badge, not a membership scheme, and not something a breeder awards themselves. It comes from a statutory inspection by a local authority.
What the inspector is judging
The rating is risk-based, and it combines two things:
- Compliance history — whether the operator has a track record that makes them higher or lower risk.
- Welfare standards at inspection — whether they meet the minimum standards, whether there is evidence of minor failings, and whether they also meet the higher standards set out in the guidance.
A business with a number of minor failings against the minimum standards is rated one star. Businesses that meet the higher standards get four or five.
The rating decides how long the licence lasts
This is the part that makes the number meaningful rather than decorative. A better rating earns a longer licence, because the council judges it needs to come back less often. For a low-risk business, one star means a one-year licence, three stars a two-year licence, and five stars a three-year licence. A higher-risk business is capped lower — four stars earns two years rather than three.
So a five star breeder is one the council has inspected, judged low risk, found to meet the higher standards, and trusted for the longest period the scheme allows.
What it does not tell you
Be clear about the limits. The star rating covers welfare, premises, record keeping and management. It is not a judgement on:
- Health testing of the parent dogs — that is a separate matter, and you should ask for it separately. What to ask for.
- Pedigree or Kennel Club registration. What registration covers.
- Whether the puppy will suit your household.
A five star licence tells you the dogs are kept properly. It does not, by itself, tell you the breeding is good. Ask for both.
How to check a breeder's rating yourself
- Ask for the licence number and which council issued it. A licensed breeder will give you both without hesitating.
- Go to that council's website and look for its animal activity licensing register. Most publish a list of licensed breeders with ratings.
- If you cannot find it, ring the council's licensing team and ask. They will tell you.
If a breeder will not give you a licence number, that is your answer. Operating without a licence where one is required is an offence, and the absence of one is not a technicality.
Where Catrigg fits
Catrigg Retrievers holds a five star licence, number 10573. The number is published here so you can check it rather than take our word for it, which is rather the point of a licence.
The issuing authority is not named on this site at present. Craven District Council, which appears on older listings, was abolished on 1 April 2023 and animal licensing in the area passed to North Yorkshire Council. Rather than print a regulator that no longer exists, the authority is left out until it has been confirmed.
Every puppy comes from this family
Fox red golden retrievers, health tested and Kennel Club registered, raised at The Old Dairy in the Yorkshire Dales. Tell us what you are looking for and a member of our team will ring you back.
