Checking a specific breeder?
Search BOB’s directory for a breeder’s license and USDA inspection history. Because Alabama doesn’t license breeders, many won’t appear, and that alone is worth knowing.
Alabama at a glance
Statewide totals from BOB’s research. We don’t name individual breeders on this page.
- 1,385
- breeders advertising puppies online on Good Dog, Puppies.com and AKC Marketplace. None has a state or USDA license on record.
- 0
- licensed dog breeders. Alabama doesn’t license breeders, and BOB found no Alabama breeders with an active USDA license.
- 68
- online breeders appear to need a federal license. They list five or more breeding females and ship puppies through transport services, which generally requires a USDA license.
- 23
- USDA inspections of Alabama dog breeders and brokers since 2021, across all six years combined.
BOB is still auditing license records nationwide, so these totals may change as the audit is completed.
Alabama’s puppy market is almost entirely unlicensed
In most states, the debate is about how well licensed breeders are inspected. In Alabama, there’s almost no one to inspect. Every one of the 1,385 breeders BOB found advertising online sells without a license, and no state agency keeps track of them.
1,385 vs. 0
Breeders selling online on just three websites, compared with licensed breeders in the entire state.
290
Good Dog breeders in Alabama who ship puppies through flight nannies or ground transport companies, so buyers may never see where the puppy was raised.
How many breeding dogs they list
Of the 1,103 Alabama breeders on Good Dog:
Most list fewer than five breeding females, which keeps them under the federal licensing threshold. But 68 list five or more and ship puppies through transport services, the conditions that generally require a USDA license. None of them has one.
This is a starting count, not a full one. It covers three websites, not Facebook, Craigslist or breeders’ own sites. Breeding dog counts are what breeders list on their own profiles.
Federal oversight in Alabama
USDA is the only agency that can license and inspect dog breeders in Alabama, and only breeders who meet federal criteria. Since 2021, USDA has inspected Alabama dog breeders and brokers 23 times in total. Six Alabama breeders have had a USDA license cancelled, five of them since 2020.
Pet stores selling puppies in Alabama
BOB tracks 7 open pet stores in Alabama that sell puppies. We rate 2 of them High on our sourcing concern scale, and we don’t yet have enough information to rate the other five.
What Alabama law requires
- Does Alabama license dog breeders?
- No. Alabama has no state law licensing or regulating dog breeders.
- Are breeders inspected by the state?
- No. The only inspections come from USDA, and only for breeders who hold a federal license.
- Who needs a federal license?
- Generally, breeders with five or more breeding females who sell puppies sight unseen, such as by shipping them, and breeders who sell to pet stores or brokers.
Compare commercial breeder and pet store laws in every state
Before you buy a puppy from an Alabama breeder
Not every breeder is a puppy mill. Because Alabama doesn’t license breeders, these steps matter even more.
If your puppy gets sick
Alabama doesn’t have a puppy lemon law, so no state law specifically entitles you to a refund, a replacement or vet costs if a puppy is sick or dies soon after you buy it. 22 states have these laws, including neighboring Florida, but Alabama isn’t one of them. Before you pay, ask for a written health guarantee and vet records, and keep copies of every message and receipt.
- Visit in person. In Alabama, your visit may be the only check anyone does. Ask to see where the puppy and its mother live. A breeder who only meets you in a parking lot or ships sight unseen is a red flag.
- Ask how many breeding dogs they keep. A breeder shipping puppies with five or more breeding females should hold a USDA license. Search the USDA inspection search to check.
- Look them up in our directory. The BOB breeder directory shows history for breeders we track.
- If something goes wrong, report a sick puppy or a suspected puppy mill to BOB.
Common questions
Does Alabama regulate dog breeders?
No. Alabama has no state licensing or inspection program for dog breeders. Only breeders who meet federal criteria need a USDA license.
How many dog breeders are in Alabama?
No one keeps an official count. BOB found 1,385 Alabama breeders advertising online on Good Dog, Puppies.com and AKC Marketplace alone, and none has a license on record.
Is an unlicensed breeder breaking the law?
Usually not. Most Alabama breeders are small enough that they don’t need a federal license. But it means no inspector has checked on their dogs, so it’s up to you to visit and ask questions.
What can I do if my puppy from an Alabama breeder gets sick?
Alabama has no puppy lemon law, so your options depend mostly on what the seller agreed to in writing. That’s why a written health guarantee matters. You can also report the seller to BOB.
How do I report a puppy mill in Alabama?
You can report it to BOB. If the breeder ships puppies and keeps five or more breeding females without a USDA license, you can also report it to USDA.
For legislators and advocates
You’re welcome to use these figures in testimony, reporting and outreach. Please cite BOB and the date shown so readers can find the current numbers.
How to cite this page
Bailing Out Benji. “Dog Breeding in Alabama.” bailingoutbenji.com, updated November 4, 2026. https://bailingoutbenji.com/research-and-data/states/alabama/
Figures come from BOB’s database of licensed and unlicensed breeders, brokers and pet stores, USDA APHIS inspection reports, and BOB’s reviews of online puppy marketplaces. Counts are statewide totals.