Tough New Legal Crackdown On Puppy Smuggling Moves A Step Closer

30th November 2024

Government announces support for the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Private Members Bill.

An end to the cruel trade in puppy smuggling has moved closer on Friday 29th November 2024 following the announcement of Government support for a new Private Members' Bill.

This Bill delivers on a manifesto commitment to crack-down on puppy smuggling by closing loopholes exploited by unscrupulous commercial traders. It will give the Government powers to ban the import of puppies and kittens under six months, and dogs and cats that are mutilated or heavily pregnant.

The Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill - sponsored by Dr Danny Chambers MP – will make it more difficult and less profitable for traders to fraudulently import animals for sale under the disguise of owners traveling with their own pets, addressing the current abuse of non-commercial rules that compromise animal welfare and biosecurity.

The latest data shows that the number of non-commercial movements of pets rose from 100,000 in 2011 to over 320,000 in 2023 – and with it the risk of fraudulent activity.

Baroness Sue Hayman, Animal Welfare Minister, said:  

The smuggling of pets is an appalling trade with no place in our society, a nation of animal lovers. We promised safer streets and we will stop these horrific criminals profiting from cruelty.

This important legislation is the first step in achieving our manifesto commitment to deliver the biggest boost in animal welfare in a generation.

Danny Chambers MP said:

As a vet, I’ve treated many dogs with cruelly cropped ears or docked tails, leaving them physically scarred and emotionally traumatised. There is no excuse for these mutilations in the 21st century.

But this bill is about more than animal welfare. We’re also protecting public health because dogs that have been smuggled into the UK could be carrying terrifying diseases that affect humans, such as rabies.

By taking advantage of policy loopholes, criminals have been able to traffic vulnerable animals into the UK. This gap in the system has caused the suffering of thousands of innocent animals. As a vet, I think it is time we close this loophole, stop it from being exploited by organised criminals, and put an end to this cruel trade once and for all.

Owen Sharp, CEO of Dogs Trust, said:

We are delighted that Danny Chambers MP has committed to taking forward a Bill to finally put an end to puppy smuggling. Dogs Trust have been campaigning for over 10 years to end the suffering of countless numbers of dogs caught up in this abhorrent trade, and we hope this marks a real step forward for dog welfare in the UK.

We have come close to putting an end to this cruel trade with multiple Bills proposed to tackle this issue in previous years, sadly none of them have made it onto the statute books. We hope that this time will be different, and we can finally end puppy smuggling.

David Bowles, RSPCA Head of Public Affairs, said:

We welcome the Government’s support for this Bill aiming to crack down on pet smuggling and to halt the import of animals which have undergone mutilations in the name of ‘fashion’.

The smuggling issue has never been more important. The RSPCA’s investigation teams continue to deal with many reports from the public who have been misled and ended up buying a sick puppy who had not been home-bred as advertised but had in fact been trafficked into the UK illegally.

The proposals could also ban the import of animals who have undergone painful mutilation procedures - such as cropped ears or docked tails - which are illegal in the UK. The loophole in the legislation unfortunately allowing animals to be imported with these mutilations already carried out means many of these animals continue to suffer in order to be sold on in the UK.

If these proposals become a reality, it will be a huge step forward for animal welfare.

The UK is the currently highest ranked G7 nation according to World Animal Protection’s Index. By supporting this Bills, the Government is delivering on a key manifesto commitment to end puppy smuggling and enhance the UK’s world-leading animal welfare standards further.