PUP AND UP

Demand for puppies has soared during the pandemic but supply from responsible breeders has fallen. Coronavirus has created a perfect storm for dodgy puppy dealers to flourish.

Our Special Investigations Unit leads Operation Delphin, the UK-wide partnership working to disrupt and stop the puppy trade. As we make inroads in to this multi-million pound, greed-fuelled industry, the criminals involved keep finding new ways to try and dupe people in to buying badly bred pups. So, it is no surprise so many struggle to separate the good from the bad.

Our Chief Superintendent, Mike Flynn, says restrictions from coronavirus have not halted the sale of dogs. “Many badly bred pups sold in Scotland come from Ireland. The

Do you think you could tell the difference between a responsible puppy breeder and an irresponsible one?

That’s the question we put to Scots back in June –and just 35% of people felt confident they could tell one from the other.

trade died down back in March and April when we were at the height of lockdown, but there is no doubt that since then it has been as active as in any other year.”

“As ever, we have been keeping a close eye on things and seized 13 dogs from a dealer at Cairnryan port in May. A dozen survived, but one had terrible respiratory issues and had to be put to sleep. This poor pup is just one of thousands who has perished in the name of profit.”

“We will continue to lead the fight against the trade, but it will take a massive effort from the public, breeders and other animal welfare organisations to stop this. Without the demand, the supply disappears. People should look to adopt and, if that’s not possible, do lots of research and buy responsibly. It may seem like a mountain to climb to eradicate the trade, but I’m in no doubt we can do it.”

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

We don’t want to rescue puppies from these conditions – we want these conditions never to exist in the first place. That’s why we are taking action to make it as difficult as possible for traders to operate. Years of campaigning has seen the Scottish Parliament increase the maximum sentence for the worst animal cruelty offences to five years and/or an unlimited fine. Our investigations have helped HMRC recover over £1.5m in unpaid tax. And we have managed to rescue and rehome hundreds of puppies who otherwise may not have made it. Whilst our mantra is ‘adopt, don’t shop’, we are also working with good breeders to ensure those who want to buy a puppy can do so safely.

Our Scottish SPCA Assured Puppy Breeder Scheme recently launched and we hope to build this up to provide people with access to a nationwide network of responsible breeders who do things right, giving buyers peace of mind.

Mike says: “Many people operating in the puppy trade are morally bankrupt with a history of criminal activity. I think it says a lot about the Society and how hard we work that we are bringing some of these individuals to justice.”

Worried you are buying from a puppy dealer? Look out for these warning signs

You may be rushed in to parting with cash in exchange for a puppy. They may try to fob you off by saying the puppy’s mum is at the vets, asleep, or out for a walk. If the mum isn’t there, then the puppy wasn’t bred there. If mum is around, she should be interacting with the pups. An unrelated adult dog will not. Concerns you raise about the puppy’s health may be labelled ‘normal for the breed’. But puppy farming causes major and, sometimes, deadly health issues. They won’t have paperwork or certificates for vaccinations, worming, results for health tests and microchipping (which is a legal requirement).

THE KEY FINDINGS FROM OUR SURVEY

The percentage of Scots who think it is unsafe to buy a puppy online – but traffic to purchase on the web has never been higher. 2x Twice as many people think it is very important they get a puppy right away when they have purchased it compared to not important at all. With a responsible breeder, it will typically be weeks or months before a pup goes to their new home. Dealers will let buyers have the pup right away. Just over a third of people said they would not be confident in telling the difference between a puppy dealer and a responsible breeder.