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Pet shops and dealers in England will be banned from selling puppies and kittens under the age of six months under new government plans.

Instead, people will be encouraged to buy kittens and puppies from rescue shelters or directly from trusted breeders.

The government's aim is to reduce the health problems in animals being bred in bad conditions.

Puppy farms in particular have been criticised by animal rights activists, who feel the animals are being mistreated just to make money.

It is a victory for the Lucy's Law campaign, which has been calling for the ban to be introduced.

The campaign was named after a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who was badly treated in the puppy farming system.

This petition gained over 140,000 signatures and parliament debated the issue in May.

The Environment Secretary Michael Gove said: "People who have a complete disregard for pet welfare will no longer be able to profit from this miserable trade."

The plan will now be reviewed and discussed before it is put in place.

A ban on licensed sellers dealing in dogs and cats less than eight weeks old is already coming in on 1 October.