Wells MP James Heappey supports dog welfare charity in fight against ‘harrowing’ puppy smuggling trade
The UK’s largest dog welfare charity – Dog’s Trust – invited a host of MPs and Peers to its annual House of Commons reception and asked for their support in the fight against puppy smuggling.
Wells MP James Heappey attended and said there needs to be more awareness of this problem and the Government must do what it can to help.
The charity has warned that although there is a rise in puppies illegally imported during the festive season, illegally imported puppies is a huge issue all year round.
During the event, MPs learnt about the horrendous conditions puppies are smuggled in, with Dogs Trust reporting extreme cases of puppies smuggled in baskets covered with cling-film and crammed in suitcases.
Mr Heappey said: “I’m very pleased to support Dogs Trust in raising awareness of the plight of illegally imported puppies, who suffer the most harrowing of journeys at the hands of these unscrupulous dealers.
“It’s imperative that the Government takes immediate action by enforcing proper checks at the ports and on-the-spot fines to deter these breeders and dealers.”
Adrian Burder, Dogs Trust CEO, said: “It’s a shame that we still have to remind people of our slogan, ‘A dog is for Life, not just for Christmas’ nearly 40 years on from its creation. We always encourage responsible rehoming, but as we’ve seen, dealers will go to great lengths to dupe innocent people, making it increasingly difficult for people to spot an illegally smuggled puppy.
“Over the next 12 months, we will continue to push for proper enforcement at UK borders. We will also continue our Puppy Pilot scheme, which rescues puppies seized at borders, funds their quarantine and rehomes them responsibly. So far, this scheme has saved more than 600 puppies.
“We can’t thank James Heappey MP enough for his support, and we look forward to continuing to work together to tackle this issue, and make some much needed improvements in 2018 and when we leave the EU.”