MPs gathered to discuss how to combat the Puppy Smuggling trade and the importance of the Kept Animals Bill.
MP for Penrith and the Border and the only veterinary surgeon in the House of Commons, Dr Neil Hudson, and Dogs Trust recently welcomed more than 100 MPs to an event they co-hosted at the House of Commons, where the charity called on the Government to take urgent action to end the cruel practice of Puppy Smuggling. Dr Neil Hudson MP has been a supporter of the charity’s mission to end Puppy Smuggling since he was elected in 2019.
At the House of Commons event, MPs were invited to discuss with the charity how they can work together to end the illegal trade by ensuring the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill is passed by Parliament. The charity is also calling for the Government to include visual checks at the borders in its plan to put a stop to the cruel trade once and for all.
The Kept Animals Bill includes provisions to tackle abuse of the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS), which the charity has been exposing since 2014. Through five undercover investigations, Dogs Trust has revealed the falsifying of documents to import underage puppies, often unvaccinated and in poor welfare conditions, which go on to be sold to unsuspecting buyers in the UK. However, having been introduced to Parliament in 2021, the Bill has not progressed any further through the Parliamentary process since last November.
During this time, puppies and pregnant dogs continue to be smuggled into the UK on an industrial scale. Coupled with the lack of progress of the Bill, the proposed secondary legislation to tackle the trade, to be introduced under the Kept Animals Bill, does not include a requirement for visual checks of dogs being transported across international borders, a measure the charity believes is crucial if the Bill is to be successful in tackling the trade. Moreover, many of the animals arriving in the UK have cropped ears and docked tails, practices banned domestically. Whilst the Government has proposed banning the import of these animals, such measures will only be successful if the animal has been visually checked.
An interactive station at the event illustrated the importance of introducing visual checks at the borders. MPs experienced the documentary and identity check currently in operation at the border, and the charity was able to demonstrate some of the tactics smugglers employ to avoid detection and explain why adding a visual check to this process is crucial to tackling the trade. MPs also took part in a photo opportunity at the event where they pledged to work collaboratively with Dogs Trust to end Puppy Smuggling.
Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, said:
"It was a pleasure to work with the Dogs Trust and host this important event to raise awareness about the vital work being done by the charity on puppy smuggling and to hopefully boost parliamentary support for the Kept Animals Bill to return to the Commons.
"Ultimately the puppy smuggling trade, that tragically continues to take place on an industrial scale, must be stamped out urgently. Being freely imported are unvaccinated and underage puppies, animals with cropped ears or docked tails, and heavily pregnant dogs which often endure horrific journeys and pose a significant health risk to both animals and humans. As the only veterinary surgeon in the Commons, this is just not acceptable to me.
"I was particularly pleased to meet with animal welfare advocates from across both Houses who understood the pressing need for action on puppy smuggling and I'm now confident that cross-party parliamentary working can help tackle the issue head on."
Paula Boyden, Dogs Trust Veterinary Director, added:
“Dogs Trust has spent eight years exposing this abhorrent trade and our investigations have revealed that puppy smugglers remain undeterred and are continuing to bring in thousands of underage puppies and pregnant dogs, often in the most dreadful conditions, which do not provide for their needs.
“We are grateful to Dr Neil Hudson and all the MPs who support our work to combat this problem, and we hope that the Government will hasten to progress the Kept Animals Bill and act on our recommendations to include the requirement to carry out a visual check on all dogs entering the country because without them, there is no chance of ending this horrifying trade.”
In April 2021, Dr Neil Hudson also led the charity’s Puppy Smuggling Taskforce letter to the former Minister, Lord Goldsmith, sent on behalf of 47 MPs asking the Government to take urgent action to stop the illegal importation of dogs into the UK.
