Improving animal welfare is something I passionately believe in. So, it is fantastic news that plans for a new law to prevent puppy smugglers from importing very young, ill, or mutilated dogs was backed in Parliament last week.
Under the Animal Welfare (importation of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill, people selling pets will be stopped from importing puppies under six months old, heavily pregnant dogs will not be allowed to travel, and ‘mutilated’ animals, such as puppies with cropped ears, will also be banned.
The plans have been brought forward in a Private Members Bill by Conservative MP, Selaine Saxby, who says a huge surge in puppy smuggling started during the Covid pandemic as owners struggled to find the puppies they wanted.
It is easy to see how many people across our local area and beyond love their pets and the special place they hold in families’ hearts. That’s why this Bill is so important – not just to stop criminal gangs profiting from the suffering of young animals, but to end the pain families experience when their pet is found to be ill or in pain due to the way it was raised and brought into the country.
When I bought my puppy, I made sure I used a Kennel Club assured breeder so I knew the highest standards had been followed. By ensuring pets can only be brought into this country in the proper and correct ways, this Bill will help bring puppy smuggling to an end.
