A Worcestershire dog charity has urged people not to buy puppies for Christmas.
Dogs Trust Evesham has warned people off buying puppies in the festive season as doing so fuels the illegal puppy smuggling trade.
The charity say that puppy smugglers from Central and Eastern Europe are illegally importing puppies as they look to cash in on a key period for puppy purchasing.
Chris Slight, the Evesham centre manager, 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.”
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Since the Dogs Trust launched its Puppy Pilot scheme in 2015, more than 2,000 puppies have been seized at the UK border and taken into the charity’s care.
Dachshunds, Bichons and Pomeranians are amongst the top breeds seized at UK border in the lead-up to Christmas
The dog welfare charity expects numbers to continue to rise if urgent action is not taken.
Dogs Trust is now calling on the Government to allow the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill to finally pass through the parliamentary process to tackle the trade once and for all.
This Bill includes the provision of new powers enabling the Government to introduce measures via secondary legislation to tackle the abuses of the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS).
“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,” said Mr Slight.
“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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Daniel Brocklebank, who plays Billy Mayhew in ‘Coronation Street’, is supporting Dogs Trust’s campaign to raise awareness of puppy smuggling.
He said: “It’s so easy to buy a dog online nowadays but not every seller can be trusted.
“By advising dog lovers on what to watch out for Dogs Trust hope their campaign will help prevent unsuspecting buyers getting a smuggled puppy this Christmas.”
