Cruel puppy smuggling on the rise say Dogs Trust

Over a third (34%) of puppy owners in the West Midlands didn’t do any research before buying their dog, according to data from Dogs Trust’s new Choosing My Dog study.

The findings suggest owners in the West Midlands could be leaving themselves vulnerable to being scammed – or worse – inadvertently buying puppies smuggled from abroad in atrocious conditions.

Dogs Trust is warning people how to avoid being ripped off by deceitful dealers or ‘Dogfished’, at a time when demand for dogs in the UK has never been higher and more puppies continue to be illegally imported to the country to meet that demand.

Dogs Trust’s Veterinary Director Paula Boyden said: “Sadly, we continue to see more and more heart-breaking examples of puppies being illegally imported into the country. Puppy smugglers are making vast profits by exploiting innocent puppies, breeding and transporting them in appalling conditions to sell onto unsuspecting dog lovers.

“Unfortunately, it is all too easy to be hoodwinked by these deceitful traders. That is why it is so important to do your research before buying a dog so you can do everything you can to buy your puppy responsibly.

“There has never been a more urgent need to end the appalling puppy smuggling trade. Enough is enough, Government must take immediate action as too many puppies are suffering at the hands of cruel traders and too many dog lovers are being left to pick up the pieces. Every day of delay leads to preventable suffering for these poor puppies.”

Last year Holly, a five month old Bernese Mountain Dog came into the the Dogs Trust shelter in Wickamford. She was later adopted.

The charity’s Choosing My Dog study surveyed 2,908 people in the UK who bought their puppy in the past seven years, to investigate the thought processes and approaches dog owners go through when choosing their pooch.

The survey found that, of those in the West Midlands who had bought a puppy in the past seven years:

· Over a third (34%) of people bought their puppy without doing any research. Dogs Trust advises to think twice and always ask lots of questions before buying a puppy.

· Worryingly 28% of people said they only saw their puppy on the day they took them home, not beforehand. Charities like Dogs Trust recommend visiting a dog in their home more than once or, if that isn’t possible due to lockdown restrictions, via video chat more than once before making such an important decision.

· Over a quarter (26%) didn’t think it was important to be able to see the puppy with one of its parents. Dogs Trust always recommend seeing a puppy interacting with their mum to make sure you know they haven’t been taken from their mum too young.

· Almost two fifths (38%) said their puppy was not microchipped, which is now a legal requirement.