Weekly, source-linked dog news for people choosing and caring for a doghttps://choosemydoggy.com/news/2026-10-05T07:00:00ZChooseMyDoggyhttps://choosemydoggy.com/news/2026-10-05/2026-10-05T07:00:00Z

Three official updates for UK dog owners and people choosing a dog: the CMA has made its Order on the veterinary market, the Responsible Dog Ownership Taskforce has published 20 recommendations, and a new child-supervision rule for banned-breed dogs starts on 1 November 2026.

<h3>CMA makes its Order on the vets market, with changes phased in from December 2026</h3><p>The CMA says that on 22 September 2026 it made an Order putting in place the rest of its vets remedies and accepted RCVS Undertakings. The first phase applies to larger veterinary businesses from 23 December 2026, with further remedies phased in after; smaller businesses get longer. CMA guidance (a separate GOV.UK page) says larger means 15 or more first opinion practices, and lists requirements including prominent identification of the owning group, price lists, written estimates for costs of £500 or more including VAT, and prescription fee caps (£21 first item, £12.50 each additional, including VAT).</p><p>Source: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/veterinary-services-market-for-pets-review">Competition and Markets Authority (GOV.UK)</a> (2026-09-22)</p><h3>Responsible Dog Ownership Taskforce publishes 20 recommendations</h3><p>The taskforce report, published on GOV.UK on 24 September 2026, sets out 20 recommendations across data, enforcement, education and training. They include exploring options for regulating dog trainers and behaviourists, considering legal requirements for professional dog walkers, and a statutory duty on local authorities to provide a dog control service. The ministerial foreword says ministers are carefully considering the recommendations.</p><p>Source: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/responsible-dog-ownership-report/responsible-dog-ownership-taskforce-report">Defra (GOV.UK)</a> (2026-09-24)</p><h3>From 1 November 2026, young children must not be left unsupervised near banned-breed dogs</h3><p>GOV.UK states that from 1 November 2026, owners must not leave a child under the age of 12 in close proximity to a banned breed dog in a domestic setting or other private place without adult supervision. It says this will be a condition of the Certificate of Exemption, which allows owners to legally keep a banned breed, and that failure to comply may result in enforcement action, including seizure of the dog and potential prosecution under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. The page also says the requirement for third-party public liability insurance will be removed from 1 July (the page does not state the year).</p><p>Source: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-safety-measures-introduced-to-protect-children-around-banned-dog-breeds">Defra (GOV.UK)</a> (2026-06-09)</p>