The RSPCA has investigated in the last ten years nearly 30,000 allegations about the illicit trade of puppies. Today (Monday 6 April) the voluntary agency has announced that the British Government bans the sale in third party puppies in England.
The RSPCA has submitted 28,168 complaints * concerning the puppy trade over the past decade (2009-2019). The group has rescued 2,172 dogs from the puppy trade in the past 7 years (as far as records go back).
The charity now supports the ban on purchases from third parties, known as Lucy’s Act, which now ensures that all dogs have to be owned from a breeding company or by a legitimate rescue service.
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Chris Sherwood, RSPCA’s Executive Chairman, said: ‘Nearly 30,000 illegal puppy trade reports have been handled by RSPCA workers in the last decade. We have saved our rescued dogs from horrific cruel and inhuman conditions; our vets have urgently sought to protect the lives of little puppies infected with worms and afflicted with issues of health and behaviour; and our carers have re-healthy pets, to encourage people to trust and to show affection for the first time.
The RSPCA has worked for several years to combat the puppy industry with officers who investigate puppy farms complaints; to rescue, repair and rehome dogs; and to prosecute criminal gangs, some of which sell puppies to unwitting members of the public tens or thousands of pounds per week.
Nonetheless, charity fears that many dogs and puppies are trapped in doll’s farms that fail or that they are left by scrupulous dealers because due to the Covid 19 lockout they do not sell.
Sadly, many families who purchased a marionet thought their dog may have been imported from abroad from a marionette farm or an unscrupulous grower or dealer.
A few days later, when she was coughing and encountering worms, veterans wanted to help her, but she was advised she would be put to sleep later diagnosing parvovirus.
“While our workers work far harder to investigate complaints from low pay and subterranean puppy increasing, and will do all they can to shut down this terrible business,” says Ian Briggs, Head of Inspection at RSPCA’s Special Operations Unit-a specialist unit that is investigating significant and large organised animal crime, for instance puppy farms-
Please be mindful that having a puppy is very difficult at this time-during the Covid-19 lock-down-because of limits on travel. Key tips for adopting a happy safe dog. It is also important to see if you can take care of a dog after you raise the lock-up.
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Remember also giving a temporary home to the rescue pet rather than buying a new house: www.rspca.org.uk
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Do a great deal of homework to make sure you have a dog before you buy it;
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Ask the breeder lots of questions, visit the puppy multiple times and ask to see paperwork (licensing, health checks, vaccination records etc);
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See the mother of the pup and see her play with the litter;
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Do not give money, buy a dog, walk away, and call the RSPCA, the local authority or the police if anything concerns you.
