Animal breeding and training

Breeding and training animals outside agricultural livestock production - hobby, sporting and ornamental breeding as well as professional training. This is field No. 5 of the unqualified (free) trade, so no qualification is proven; the general conditions and notification are enough.

Conditions for operating

Unqualified (free) trade (Annex No. 4 to the Trade Licensing Act) - professional qualification is not proven.
The general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act are sufficient:
- full legal capacity (usually reaching the age of 18),
- clean criminal record (the office verifies this itself by an extract from the Criminal Records register).
The licence arises on the day of notifying the trade.
A responsible representative may be appointed under Section 11 (for an unqualified trade it is not required on account of qualification).
A separate obligation outside the Trade Licensing Act: anyone who, on the basis of a trade licence, breeds animals intended for hobby breeding for the purpose of trading in them, or trades in them, is obliged to notify this activity to the regional veterinary administration no later than 30 days before commencing it (Section 13a of Act No. 246/1992 Coll.).

Examples of activities

breeding dogs and cats and other hobby animals
training dogs (obedience, agility, protection, canine-assisted therapy)
breeding ornamental and exotic birds and aquarium fish
breeding and dressage of horses for sport and hobby activity
operating an animal hotel, animal sitting and dog walking
breeding terrarium animals and small rodents
training animals for film, advertising and performances

What this trade is and what it is for

The trade “Animal breeding and training (with the exception of livestock production)” is field No. 5 of the unqualified (free) trade. It allows you to do business in the breeding and training of animals, provided this is not agricultural livestock production. It includes hobby, sporting and ornamental breeding and the professional training of animals – that is, activities which do not fall under agricultural business or under any of the more specialised trades.

Under the law there is only one unqualified trade, which is internally divided into fields of activity. Animal breeding and training is one of them. You therefore always notify a single unqualified trade and choose this field within it (and possibly other fields at the same time, for a single fee).

What falls under this trade (and what does not)

Field No. 5 typically includes:

breeding dogs, cats and other hobby (companion) animals;
breeding ornamental and exotic birds, aquarium fish, terrarium animals and small rodents;
breeding horses for sport and hobby activity and their dressage;
training dogs (obedience, agility, canine-assisted therapy, guarding and protection training) and training other animals;
operating animal hotels, animal sitting and dog walking.

What, on the other hand, does not belong here:

livestock production (keeping farm animals for production – milk, meat, eggs, breeding of cattle, pigs, poultry, etc.). This is expressly excluded from the trade and is carried out as agricultural production under the regime of an agricultural entrepreneur pursuant to Act No. 252/1997 Coll., not as a trade;
veterinary treatment and preventive activity – this may be performed only by a veterinary surgeon under special regulations and is not a trade;
selling animals and pet supplies in a shop falls rather under the commercial fields of the unqualified trade (e.g. field No. 48 Wholesale and retail).

Note a separate obligation outside the Trade Licensing Act: anyone who, on the basis of a trade licence, breeds animals intended for hobby breeding for the purpose of trading in them, or trades in such animals (for example a breeder of dogs for sale or a seller in a pet shop), is obliged to notify this activity to the regional veterinary administration no later than 30 days before commencing it (Section 13a of Act No. 246/1992 Coll., on the protection of animals against cruelty). The notification states the species and number of animals and documents how their care, health and welfare will be ensured. This is a notification obligation, not a permit, and the Trade Licensing Office does not examine it when the trade is notified.

Conditions for obtaining it under the law

This is an unqualified (free) trade (Annex No. 4 to the Trade Licensing Act), so professional qualification is not proven – you do not have to submit any apprenticeship certificate, diploma or proof of experience. It is enough to meet the general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act:

full legal capacity (usually reaching the age of 18, or granted legal capacity);
a clean criminal record – proven by an extract from the Criminal Records register, which the office obtains itself.

The licence arises already on the day of notifying the trade, not only on the issue of the extract.

If you do not meet the conditions personally or you wish to have the business covered by another person, you may appoint a responsible representative under Section 11 of the Trade Licensing Act. For an unqualified trade, however, this is not necessary on account of qualification (which is not required); you would use it rather where, for example, a legal person is doing business.

How to notify the trade step by step

You complete the Unified Registration Form (JRF). As the subject of business you choose the unqualified trade and within it field No. 5 Animal breeding and training. In the same form you can also notify other fields.
You submit the notification. In person at any municipal Trade Licensing Office, at a Czech POINT contact point, or electronically via the rzp.gov.cz portal (with a data box or the Citizen's Identity).
You pay the administrative fee. The first trade notification costs CZK 1,000, or CZK 800 for an electronic submission. The fee is paid once regardless of the number of fields notified.
You wait for the entry. The Trade Licensing Office enters you in the Trade Register, assigns a company ID (IČO) and issues an extract within 5 working days of receiving a flawless notification (Section 47).

You can find the detailed procedure in the guide How to set up a trade step by step.

Documents and fees

proof of identity (identity card or passport);
a completed Unified Registration Form (JRF);
for a responsible representative, their declaration and proof of identity (if one is appointed);
administrative fee of CZK 1,000, or CZK 800 electronically;
professional qualification is not proven (unqualified trade);
adding this field to an existing unqualified trade is free of charge (CZK 0).

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to prove education or experience for animal breeding and training?

No. This is an unqualified (free) trade for which professional qualification is not required. It is enough to meet the general conditions under Section 6 – legal capacity and a clean criminal record.

Do I need any permit besides the trade?

If you breed animals intended for hobby breeding for the purpose of trading in them (for example for sale) or you trade in them, you must notify this activity to the regional veterinary administration no later than 30 days before commencing it (Section 13a of Act No. 246/1992 Coll.). This is not a permit but a separate notification obligation alongside the trade licence.

Can I keep farm animals for meat or milk?

Not under this field. Livestock production is excluded from the trade and is carried out as agricultural production (an agricultural entrepreneur under Act No. 252/1997 Coll.).

How much does it cost to add this field to a trade I already hold?

If you already hold the unqualified trade, adding field No. 5 is free of charge (CZK 0). You simply notify the change to the Trade Licensing Office.

When can I start doing business after notification?

The licence arises on the day of notification. You can therefore do business before the extract from the Trade Register physically reaches you.