MP for Penrith and The Border and Member of the Commons EFRA Select Committee, Dr Neil Hudson, questioned DEFRA Minister, Victoria Prentis, on what action DEFRA has taken to help tackle the illegal puppy smuggling trade.
And, calling for better checks on animals entering the country, Dr Hudson pointed to the biosecurity benefits this could bring, protecting the health of both dogs and humans too. It is important to note some diseases carried by dogs can be transferred to humans.
These comments come ahead of the Kept Animals Bill due to return to the Commons in this session of Parliament.
Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, tabled the question:
“What steps his Department is taking to help tackle the illegal puppy smuggling trade.”
In reply, Victoria Prentis MP , DEFRA Minister, said:
“We are delivering on our manifesto pledge to crack down on the smuggling of dogs and puppies. The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill includes powers to introduce further restrictions. We have recently consulted on these and we will be publishing our report very shortly.”
Following up in the Chamber, Dr Hudson, asked:
“The steps proposed in the Kept Animals Bill, in our Environment, Food and Rural Affairs report on the Movement of Animals Across Borders, and in the Commercial and Non-commercial Movements of Pets in Britain Consultation are desperately needed.
“I, as a vet, along with charities such as the Dogs Trust, have serious concerns about the biosecurity of the UK’s dogs if smugglers continue to be able to abuse the system. Will my hon. Friend go further and commit to now introducing visual checks on dogs that enter the country and also institute pre-entry health checks and preventative measures such as tick treatments?”
The Minister replied:
“The hon. Gentleman has long taken a particular interest in this matter and I know that he was a very involved member of the Bill Committee for the Kept Animals Bill. As I said, we will shortly publish the results of the consultation which deals with the matters he raised very shortly . I very much look forward, as I am sure he does, to seeing the Kept Animals Bill back on the Floor of the House as soon as possible.”
Speaking afterwards, Dr Hudson, said: “As the local MP for a constituency where animals are so important to us all and as the only veterinary surgeon in the House of Commons, I am passionate about the health and welfare of the animals in our care. The puppy smuggling trade is abhorrent and needs to be stamped out now. We need to tighten up the health checks on animals that are brought into the UK to keep them, the UK’s animals and ultimately people safe. I raised these issues in the Chamber of the House of Commons with the DEFRA Minister.”
“I’m pleased the Government is making progress on this issue but for the sake of animal and public health, I urge them to move more quickly.”
“At a time when demand for dogs in the UK is so high, it is important that people really do their research before buying a dog advertised for sale online, as it’s all too easy to be tricked into buying a dog that has been illegally smuggled into the country.”
In 2020 Dr Hudson joined a parliamentary Puppy Smuggling Taskforce, supported heavily by the Dogs Trust. He has since pushed for action on the issue through his work on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee which has published reports and urged the Government to move faster.
