The puppy smuggling nightmare before Christmas

Wednesday, 14 December 2022 00:00

Ahead of the Christmas rush, Dogs Trust Salisbury warns potential new puppy owners to ‘think before they click’.

It’s never a good idea to give a puppy as a gift. Still, Dogs Trust Salisbury is urging potential puppy owners in the region not to buy puppies during the festive season, as doing so is helping to fuel the illegal puppy smuggling trade.

Puppy smugglers from Central and Eastern Europe illegally import puppies as they look to cash in on a key period for puppy purchasing.

Over 130 pregnant dogs have been seized since 2017, bearing around 600 puppies, highlighting the true cruelty of this horrific trade, which sees animals travelling thousands of miles in cramped, dirty conditions with little food and water.

Many of these puppies end up in one of Dogs Trust Salisbury's rehoming centres.

With Christmas fast approaching, Dogs Trust Rehoming manager Claire Rowe is sharing top tips for buying responsibly and spotting the signs online of a suspected smuggled puppy to help people be more vigilant and play their part in tackling this criminal activity.

Whilst Dogs Trust do not advise buying a puppy for Christmas when you are
ready, please follow our Do’s and don’ts for buying responsibly:

Do ask to see mum and pup together Do visit your new pup more than once Do get all your pup’s paperwork before going home Do check that the pup is at a legal age to be separated from their mum (over eight weeks old) Do walk away if you’re at all unsure Do report all suspicious sellers or breeders to Trading Standards Don’t meet anywhere that isn’t the pup’s home Don’t buy a pup from anyone who can supply various breeds on demand Don’t pay anything until you have met the pup in person Don’t feel pressure to buy a puppy

Claire said: “It’s very easy, especially when you’re looking for a puppy, to make decisions with your heart. But this is exactly the trap smugglers want you to fall into. Unknowingly buying a smuggled puppy could have very real consequences for the owner too. The puppy might be too young to have been legally imported or have health issues that you don’t necessarily notice until too late.

“If we don’t crack down on puppy smuggling soon, our fear is that it will continue causing suffering and misery for so many dogs. We are urging the Government to progress the Kept Animals Bill through Parliament as a priority, to introduce vital protections for pets and bring an end to this barbaric trade.”

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