Campaigners bid to make the importation of puppies illegal

Campaigners are pushing for a total ban on imported puppies in Scotland ahead of a debate being held today (21 November) on the problem in the Scottish Parliament.

Animal rights group OneKind is calling on the Scottish Government to outlaw the third party sale of dogs from abroad which it says is a “blight” on the country’s animal welfare credentials.

The SNP’s Emma Harper has put forward the motion in a bid to tackle the importation of puppies from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland as well as the trade from Eastern Europe, especially Hungary, Lithuania and Poland, to Scotland.

The puppies almost invariably come from large-scale puppy farms, which can cause an array of problems for the animals including lack of proper diet, restricted access to hygiene, and no veterinary attention.

Campaigners say animals are often sold to new owners with preventable diseases, painful conditions, and long-term behavioural problems due to lack of early socialisation.

Libby Anderson, OneKind policy advisor, said: “We wholeheartedly agree that the illegal puppy trade is a blight on animal welfare in Scotland and must be tackled.

“As the motion states, the import of puppies from puppy farms in Ireland and elsewhere is a major concern, with determined, unscrupulous individuals trafficking thousands of dogs to Scotland alone.”

OneKind has campaigned in Scotland for years for a review of the Pet Animals Act 1951 as part of a wider review of the breeding and sale of pets in Scotland.

As part of the review, the group insists that online sales must be looked at to ensure that the purchase of pets cannot be made without seeing the animal and the vendor prior to sale.

OneKind and many other animal welfare charities also support a legislative ban on all third-party sales of dogs, which would cover pet shop sales and dealers.