IT’S never a good idea to give a puppy as a gift, but Dogs Trust Harefield is urging potential owners in the region not to buy one during the festive season.

It says doing so is helping to fuel the illegal puppy smuggling trade. Smugglers from Central and Eastern Europe continue to illegally import puppies as they look to cash in on a key period for gift-buying.

More than 2,000 puppies have been seized at the UK border and taken into Dogs Trust’s care as part of its Puppy Pilot scheme since it launched in 2015. That’s an estimated market value of  more than £3m.

The scheme provides quarantine and support for puppies seized at ports until they can go to loving homes. Seizing and rehoming these puppies helps to take money out of the pockets of illegal importers.

Dogs Trust has also seen a 60 per cent increase in the number of pregnant dogs seized at UK borders since 2021, many in the late stages of pregnancy and with some giving birth within days of arriving in the country.

Dogs Trust believes the increase and popularity of shopping online, with people able to find a puppy at the click of a button, combined with paltry penalties for illegally importing dogs, is creating a perfect storm for puppy smuggling.

It is calling for the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill to finally pass through Parliament. The action has the support of more than 60 MPs.

Richard Moore, rehoming centre manager at Harefield, 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 or have health issues you don’t notice until too late.

“If we don’t crack down on puppy smuggling soon, our fear is 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.”

https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/