Puppy farming calls on the rise, warns charity
Calls to the RSPCA regarding puppy farming and trafficking have risen by 21 per cent from the beginning of 2013 to November this year.
Ian Briggs, chief inspector for the RSPCA's special operation unit, said: “The percentage rise in the calls we received since January is extremely worrying.
“People are making thousands of pounds off the back of breeding and importing sick puppies. There are no two ways about it – it is organised animal crime. While people keep buying puppies from these people, they will keep selling them.”
From January to November this year, the charity says it has received 2,034 calls relating to puppy farming and trafficking, compared to 1,678 throughout 2012.
Greater Manchester is reported to have seen by far the largest increase in calls, with a 90 per cent increase compared to last year. In total, 217 calls were received between January and November 2013, compared to 114 in the whole of last year.
The charity is urging potential owners to avoid buying from puppy farms and using sources such as the internet and classified ads to find a new pet. Chief inspector Briggs said: “Puppies are cute and it can be tempting to make a quick decision to buy one as a gift for a loved one or a family member.
“However, while someone might think they’re buying the perfect present when they pay for a puppy, the recipient might not be so grateful if they’re sat in a vet’s waiting room on Christmas Day with a critically ill dog.”
With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.
