The RSPCA launched a new campaign this week with the aim of warning dog-lovers about the unregulated trade in puppies, which they label “puppy trafficking”.

Unlike buying from a respected breeder who will place animal welfare at the top of their list of priorities, if you buy your puppy from the internet (including sites like Gumtree), newspapers ads or even some pet shops then, according to the RSPCA, you risk buying a puppy that will have an illness or, in some cases, severe behavioural problems.

There is a  video that accompanies the campaign which shows some disturbing under-cover footage of puppy farms involved in puppy trafficking and also features the accounts of a couple who unwittingly bought a trafficked puppy that later died:

RSPCA Campaign Video

Risking the lives of puppies

In tests conducted by the RSPCA, out of six puppies it purchased from sources suspected of dealing in “trafficked puppies”, two were found to have potentially fatal illnesses. One unfortunate King Charles spaniel pup died after just two weeks.

The charity claimed that there is awareness in the industry of “puppy trafficking”, citing the fact that 73 percent of vets were now concerned about the trade in puppies. The purpose of this new campaign is to extend this awareness to the general public.

Mark Evans, RSPCA Chief Veterinary Adviser, said some dogs were used as “breeding machines”, producing litter after litter which were then passed on to unscrupulous traders or sold to unsuspecting customers.

“The RSPCA believes that many are likely to have been exposed to disease and may become seriously ill, or even die, within days or weeks of entering their new home,” he said.

As an example, the RSPCA say that over 1,000 puppies are imported from Ireland to Wales every week before being sold on, the RSPCA said. However, just 2 percent of owners believed their pet was from Ireland, suggesting that those selling these puppies were being less than honest about their origin and thus the standard of care they and their mother received.

“Puppy trafficking is a despicable, profit-driven business,” Evans said. “We want the dog-loving public to destroy the puppy trafficker’s market.”

Key Advice

The RSPCA has prepared the following advice to assist buyers in staying safe when they are looking to purchase a puppy:

• Always try to see a puppy with its mother in the place where it was bred, and pay attention to the mother’s size, health, personality and reaction to the puppy - is it the real mother?
• Try to see the father too
• Try to find out as much as possible about where the puppy has come from, and beware if the breeder is from outside the UK
• If you are told the puppy has been vaccinated, check the vaccination cards carefully
• Be wary if the vet’s contact details are not visible, or have an address outside the UK
• Never buy from someone who offers to deliver your puppy or arranges to meet you somewhere
• Never buy a puppy just because you feel sorry for it

More information about Puppy Trafficking and how to avoid buying a trafficked puppy can be found that the decided RSPCA campaign website:

http://www.giveanimalsavoice.org.uk/

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