Imported dogs 'posing risk to UK', RSPCA warns
Thousands of dogs are brought into the UK each year, many of which are being sold to owners via websites and social media posts without any significant matching process or assessment.
The BBC has spoken to numerous owners who have faced serious difficulties with dogs delivered to their door from countries such as Romania, Ukraine and North Macedonia, including infectious diseases and aggressive behaviour.
David Bowles, spokesman for the RSPCA, described the process as like a "Deliveroo for dogs" and urged the government to consider stronger regulation for the sector.
Currently, rescue organisations in Scotland must be licensed, but there is no such rule for England, Wales or Northern Ireland.
'Ticking time bomb'
Secret recording as part of a BBC investigation showed multiple rescues operating through social media were happy to provide a dog following a short phone call, completion of an application form and a video check of their property.
Analysis of 150 adverts on Facebook and a major online pet marketplace showed the majority were offering rescue dogs from Eastern European countries, with half suggesting dogs would be delivered to an owner's home in the UK.
Most are run by well-meaning dog lovers, following rules around transportation and importation paperwork.
But the lack of preparation and vetting for owners receiving previously unseen dogs straight to their door is causing concern among experts who say there is no way people can know the temperament of the animals.
"The RSPCA's major concern is these dogs are essentially ticking time bombs - coming over, not being health tested," Mr Bowles said.
"Diseases are now coming in through these dogs. They're affecting not just the dogs that are being imported, they could also affect the dogs already in this country and their owners.
"They've almost set up a Deliveroo for dogs and that is a real problem."
Growing cases of disease
Scientists have been monitoring Brucella canis, a rare disease that can be passed to humans.
Transmitted through a dog's reproductive fluids, it can present in humans as a short-term fever with flu-like symptoms such as aching muscles but some may suffer longer-term complications such as bone and joint disease.
Before 2020 there were three known positive cases in dogs in the UK, but testing has increased and in 2024, 333 cases were being investigated, with at least one instance of it being contracted by a dog owner.
Trudy Cain from Alfreton, Derbyshire, discovered rescue dog Nola was Brucella-positive four months after she arrived from Romania.
She now faces rising vet and insurance bills and is worried about Nola's and her family's health, although she refused a vet's offer to put her to sleep.
"My brain does not compute having a dog that looks healthy put to sleep," she said.
"It just breaks my heart, it's been so hard.
"I wanted to do a good thing and now I feel like I've done a bad thing."
Dr Stephen Woolley, a consultant in tropical medicine and medical microbiology at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, said the risk of transmission from dogs to people was "very low", but described the disease as "under-studied and neglected".
Many vets recommend that a dog that tests positive for the illness should be put down, but there are also those who say it can be managed by taking precautions around disinfection.
Trading standards raid
Sian Keen agreed to take a pregnant rescue dog from Ukraine and within days of arriving Narla gave birth to 11 puppies.
But several weeks later, trading standards officers swooped on Sian's Somerset home and removed all 12 dogs over concerns they may have been imported with forged blood test documents.
As a precaution against rabies, Narla, her puppies and 19 dogs belonging to other people were quarantined in kennels.
After three weeks of investigations the dogs were freed, but when Narla returned home her behaviour had changed dramatically and she attacked Sian and her 12-year-old son.
"She was just reactive in a way she had never been before, like she was an aggressive dog," said Sian.
"I'd been bitten down my arm, I was in so much pain. The bite went right through to the muscle."
They felt they had no choice but to put Narla to sleep.
"There was just nothing we could do," said Sian. "Our intentions were completely and utterly for the right reasons. If I was looking for a dog now, I certainly wouldn't go to a rescue online."
The organisation that Sian had used, Paw Help UK, based in Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, said it deeply regretted the stress caused and added animal welfare and public safety were its highest priorities.
It said it had not been aware documents had been forged and that they originated from a laboratory used on an emergency basis following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.
Only one consignment arrived with false documents in 2022, it added, and that all dogs brought in before and since had had fully legitimate paperwork.
Government figures obtained by a Freedom Of Information request show 32,391 dogs entered the UK in 2024 as commercial imports, which includes many rescue dogs.
Some UK-based rescue organisations said the prevalence of dogs coming into the UK and being placed with owners who could not cope was putting extra pressure on the sector.
Emma Shaffery, of Forest Dog Rescue in Worcestershire, said: "We're basically having to mop up after rescues that aren't stepping up and taking responsibility for their dogs."
The charity takes in dogs from the UK and abroad, but insists every new adopter meets the dog first. There is then a cooling-off period before the new owner can take their dog home.
"It does blow my mind a little bit - you've seen a video and a few pictures and literally you adopt the dog, the dog's sent over and it could be dropped in to you at three o'clock in the morning," Emma said.
'Russian routlette'
Dr Rowena Packer, a dog behaviour specialist at the Royal Veterinary College, said she was worried many owners were being paired with unsuitable dogs.
Ms Packer said foreign rescue dogs might be traumatised from a long journey to the UK and could also suffer with early life trauma.
"The situation right now is we have a lot of really well-meaning people in the UK engaging in either adopting these dogs or being part of organisations that import them that really want to help," she said.
"I think it's a really big gamble as to what you're going to end up with because without clear information about lots of the elements of that dog's life and history, it's going to be difficult to match you with that dog. So it is a little bit Russian roulette here."
When asked by the BBC if there were plans to introduce licensing for rescue organisations, the government did not comment specifically.
A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said animal rescue organisations "must meet statutory welfare requirements".
The spokesperson said members of the public could check if a rescue was a member of the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes, which had "set clear standards".
"The government is developing an overarching approach to animal welfare," they added.
Rescue Roulette: Dogs from Abroad is on iPlayer now and BBC One in the West and East Midlands at 20:30 BST on 28 July
Related internet links
RSPCA
Defra
Forest Dog Rescue
Dog import ban call as woman catches rare disease
Disease row over imported 'kill centre' dogs
Owner's shock as 'cockapoo' grows into 7st mountain dog
Charity scrambles to save dogs amid cull fears
Solve the daily Crossword
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
The nerve-zapping device that ‘could help improve your fitness'
A small device that zaps a major nerve connecting the heart and brain could help improve fitness, an early trial suggests. The device, clipped to the outer ear, sends gentle electrical pulses to increase the activity of the vagus nerve, which plays a key role in regulating heart function. Wearing the stimulator for just 30 minutes a day increased oxygen intake during exercise, according to researchers, who hope it could one day be used to help people who are not very active. The study, led by researchers at University College London and Queen Mary University of London, involved 28 healthy volunteers. Half were given the nerve stimulator to wear for 30 minutes every day for a week, while the other half were given a dummy device. Following a two-week break, the groups swapped devices. All of those taking part in the trial had an exercise test at the beginning and end of the week they wore the stimulator. The trial, published in the European Heart Journal, found those wearing the nerve stimulator were able to exercise more intensely than when wearing the dummy device. After a week, the stimulator increased oxygen intake during exercise by 4 per cent. It also boosted maximum breathing rate by an average of four breaths per minute, and maximum heart rate by four beats per minute during exercise. Gareth Ackland, a professor of perioperative medicine at Queen Mary University of London School of Medicine, said: 'Maintaining physical activity is essential for every aspect of cardiovascular, emotional, and cognitive health. 'The outcome of the trial is consistent with the significant body of evidence pointing to an important role of the brain in optimising exercise performance and regulating the activity of the immune system, helped by the vagus nerve'. Blood samples were also take from five people, with researchers suggesting wearing the nerve stimulator for a week helped reduce inflammation. Prof Ackland added: 'We will need to carry out larger trials to confirm our findings, but the results of this study in healthy volunteers suggest that increasing vagus nerve activity can improve fitness and reduce inflammation, potentially offering new approaches to improve heart health.' Professor Bryan Williams, chief scientific and medical officer at the British Heart Foundation, which funded the study, said: 'This early study suggests that a simple technology, which harnesses the connection between the heart and the brain, can lead to improvements in fitness and exercise tolerance. 'While more research is needed involving people with cardiovascular disease, this could one day be used as a tool to improve wellbeing and quality of life for people with heart failure.'
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
New study says self-test could prevent up to 1,000 cervical cancer cases a year
About a third of women are overdue for their appointment for life-saving cervical cancer screening – due to embarrassment, discomfort or simply not having enough time to attend. But offering women an at-home self-test could prevent as many as 1,000 cases of cervical cancer every year, a study led by Queen Mary University of London with King's College London found. More than 3,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year in the UK. It has been estimated that the number would be 5,000 higher if it weren't for cervical screening. The number of women participating in cervical screening has been falling, and in 2024, only 66 per cent of those eligible for screening were up to date. It tests for a virus called human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause changes in the cervix and in some cases, can lead to cervical cancer. 'Cervical cancer is the most preventable of cancers. Women born before 1990 will not benefit from the HPV vaccination. But they can reduce their risk by 80 to 90 per cent if they get screened regularly,' Professor Peter Sasieni from Queen Mary University of London explained. In the study, published in the journal EClinicalMedicine, researchers recruited 13 GP practices in West London to find out the benefits of offering women a take-home test. These practices were divided into two groups, with about 6,000 women who were overdue for their screening in each group. One group of GP practices made in-person kit offers to women who were at least six months overdue for their cervical screening, the other group did not. For the first group, when women attended their GP practice for any reason, their doctor or nurse was encouraged to offer them a self-sampling kit. In the study, people who were 15 months overdue for cervical screening were randomised each month. Half received no special communication, a quarter were mailed a self-sampling kit, and a quarter were sent a letter offering a kit. Of the 449 women opportunistically offered a kit in a GP appointment, 234 (52 per cent) accepted and returned a sample. However, the uptake of self-sampling after a postal offer was lower: 12 per cent among those sent a kit, and just 5 per cent for women sent a letter offering a kit. Researchers estimate that if this approach were adopted across the NHS, 1,000 cases of cervical cancer could be prevented. Home-testing kits for HPV will soon be offered to people in England who are overdue for cervical cancer screening, giving women and people with a cervix the option to stay up to date with cervical screening without needing an internal examination. Dr Anita Lim, lead epidemiologist on the study from King's College London, said: 'These findings are directly relevant to current efforts to modernise cervical screening in England. Self-sampling gives women greater control over how and when they get screened. 'This study reinforces that many women welcome the option - particularly when it's offered in person by a trusted healthcare professional. A simple change like this could have a major impact on preventing cervical cancer.' There are about 100 types of HPV, and only 30 can affect the genital area. Many people never show symptoms as they can arise years after an infection, and the majority of cases go away without treatment. Vaccinating against HPV is almost 90 per cent effective at preventing cervical cancer in women in their twenties who were offered it at age 12 to 13, according to Cancer Research UK. But the best way to prevent cervical cancer in those not vaccinated when they were young is through screening, reducing the risk by 80 per cent. Fiona Osgun, head of health information at Cancer Research UK, said: "We know that almost a third of people in the UK tell us they are overdue their appointment - whether that's due to discomfort, embarrassment, or simply struggling for time. "That's why we welcomed the government's decision last month to roll out cervical home screening kits in England for people who don't take up their invite. This study shows that offering these kits during GP appointments could be part of an effective approach to making screening more accessible and remove barriers. "It's important to remember that cervical screening is for people without symptoms so, if you notice any unusual changes for you, don't wait for a screening invitation - speak to your doctor."
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
What is liver cancer? Expert explains causes, symptoms and how to treat it
The number of liver cancer cases is expected to double by 2050, with rising obesity rates partly responsible, researchers have warned. Experts predict that the share of liver cancer cases linked to obesity will grow from 5 per cent to 11 per cent, urging stronger efforts to prevent avoidable cases. New projections from a Lancet Commission on Liver Cancer report estimate that global liver cancer cases will increase from 0.87 million in 2022 to 1.52 million by 2050. Many adults remain unaware of the risk factors for liver cancer, so we spoke to a medical adviser at the British Liver Trust, Anya Adair, who is also a consultant transplant and hepatobiliary surgeon at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. She shared some key insights into the main causes, symptoms and treatments of this serious disease. What is liver cancer and what causes it? 'Cancer that develops within the liver is primary liver cancer, but when cancers arise from somewhere else in the body and then spread to the liver, that is secondary cancer,' explains Adair. How serious liver cancer is depends on the patient's general health, where the cancer is in the liver, how big it is, if it has spread and if it's primary or secondary cancer. according to the NHS website. 'Liver cancer can develop within the liver tissue, which is called primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC),' explains Adair. HCC occurs when cells called hepatocytes start to multiply and grow more than they should, according to the Liver Cancer Trust, part of the British Liver Trust. 'However, cancer can also develop within the bile duct systems in the liver, which is called cholangiocarcinoma,' adds Adair. Around three out of four cancers that start in the liver are HCC, according to the Liver Cancer Trust, which typically develops in livers that are already scarred and damaged, a condition known as cirrhosis. 'You could have a scarred cirrhotic liver due to alcohol consumption, but it can also be because of MASLD (Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease), previous known as Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease,' highlights Adair. Both autoimmune hepatitis and primary biliary cholangitis (both of which are autoimmune liver diseases) can also lead to a scarred cirrhotic liver if left untreated, she adds. What are some common symptoms? 'The problem with HCC is that it often doesn't present with any symptoms at all,' says Adair. 'So, it is usually found incidentally on a scan that has been done for something else if the person didn't know that they had a scarred liver.' HCC is also sometimes flagged up during a routine ultrasound that people who know they have a cirrhotic liver tend to have. 'Sometimes people with a cirrhotic liver are in surveillance and have ultrasounds every six months because the risk is higher, and during the scan a new swelling or shadow in the liver is picked up,' notes Adair. Although liver cancer is often silent in the beginning stages, Adair highlights that once it becomes more advanced, patients may start to develop symptoms such as jaundice, unexplained weight loss, tiredness and/or nausea. 'Anyone who develops jaundice should seek urgent medical attention, and unexplained weight loss in particular is also an alarm bell,' says Adair. How is it diagnosed? 'Liver cancer is usually spotted on an ultrasound initially, which is then followed by CT and MRI scans,' says Adair. 'So, it's usually a radiological diagnosis, and in some situations you need a biopsy for confirmation.' What are the treatment options? 'There are a lot of treatment options depending on how bad your liver disease is, how many cancers in the liver you have, how big they are and what your general fitness is,' explains Adair. There are several curative options, including surgery. 'If the cancer is picked up relatively early, and you are within transplant criteria, then a liver transplant is a curative option,' says Adair. 'If the liver is working well and there is only one area of cancer, then patients could think about having a liver resection, where you take part of the liver away. 'In addition, patients who have a single lesion that is below three centimetres can opt for ablation.' This minimally invasive procedure uses heat or extreme cold to destroy the targeted tissue, according Liver Cancer UK. There are also other treatment options that help hold the liver cancer tumour at bay or are a bridge to further treatment, such as chemoembolisation (combining chemotherapy with a method to block blood flow to the tumour) or local radiation.
