Latest news with #AnimalWelfare(ImportofDogs
BBC News
5 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Will a new law prevent puppies being imported illegally?
Over 1,000 illegally imported puppies in five years have ended up in rehoming centres after being stopped at the British border, new figures Dogs Trust charity said the animals were taken on by its centres after being "illegally landed" at the Channel ports between 2020 and charity hopes a new law that has been proposed, which will be debated in the House of Lords, will help to clamp down on dog and cat government said new measures would close loopholes exploited by unscrupulous traders. Campaigners have warned that for a number of years some breeders have brought under age puppies - younger than 15 weeks - into the country, or smuggled in dogs without health Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), said "illegally landed" did not necessarily mean smuggled, but referred to any animal which did not meet import requirements and would need to be quarantined under anti-rabies its Puppy Pilot scheme, Dogs Trust pays for the quarantine costs of dogs seized at the border to aid the interception of illegally imported puppies by APHA. Once these dogs have been through quarantine, the animal charity then provides care and rehabilitation for them at rehoming centres, prior to them finding their forever homes. The proposed law would give the government power to stop the import of puppies and kittens that are under six months old. The Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill would also ban the import of dogs and cats beyond 42 days of pregnancy and limit the number of animals that are allowed in a Calder, head of public affairs at Dogs Trust, told BBC South East: "We've seen puppies that are too young, unvaccinated, transported in really terrible conditions and some just don't survive that journey."We've tragically seen puppies as young as four weeks old smuggled into the country, or dogs with open wounds from ear cropping and heavily pregnant dogs close to giving birth, so this new bill is incredibly important."Paula Boyden, a veterinary surgeon, said the pet travel scheme had been exploited for well over a decade, with many thousands of dogs imported for sale."In recent years we've also seen an increase in the import of heavily pregnant mums and dogs with mutilations, particularly cropped ears," he said. Any new legislation needs to be robustly enforced at the border, according to professional dog trainer Ryan O'Meara."Passing this law is a good first step, but it has to be backed by proper enforcement," he said."We do need clear and practical rules that make it easier for border officials to do their job, whilst still allowing for recognised rescues overseas to responsibly bring their dogs into the UK."Danny Chambers, vet and Lib Dem MP for Winchester, who put the bill forward, said the illegal smuggling of puppies had long caused serious public health worries that dangerous diseases could be brought back into the UK. "This bill will curb those concerns – stamping out savage practices that endanger animals everywhere," he bill will now go to the House of Lords on its route to becoming law. A Defra spokesperson said: "We were elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation – and that's why we are supporting this Bill."These measures will close loopholes that are cruelly exploited by unscrupulous traders and stop the import of underage, mutilated and heavily pregnant dogs and cats."
The Sun
05-07-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
UK lawmakers pass bill to ban imports of young puppies and kittens
LONDON: A new bill aimed at stopping animal smuggling and cruelty has passed the UK House of Commons with cross-party support. The legislation, introduced by Liberal Democrat MP Danny Chambers, seeks to reduce the number of animals entering the UK for non-commercial purposes while banning the import of puppies and kittens under six months old and heavily pregnant dogs and cats. The Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill also prohibits the import of pets that have undergone mutilation, such as ear cropping. The bill, backed by the government, will now move to the House of Lords for further approval before becoming law. Chambers, a veterinarian, highlighted the cruelty of puppy smuggling, stating, 'It's unimaginably cruel to separate puppies and kittens from their mothers at a very young age, and then bring them across borders in substandard conditions where they're then sold for maximum profit by unscrupulous traders who prioritise profit over welfare.' The bill includes measures to ensure only pet owners, not third parties, can declare the non-commercial movement of animals. It also mandates the government to enforce three key bans: on importing young pets, heavily pregnant animals, and mutilated dogs and cats. Chambers criticised social media for fuelling demand for dogs with cropped ears, saying, 'Many people aren't aware that this is a mutilation. They think it's how the dogs' ears normally look, and it drives a demand for dogs that look like this.' Labour MP Peter Lamb called out Meta, Facebook's parent company, for hosting content featuring animal abuse. He said, 'We cannot rest on our laurels and Meta must be made to answer for the fact that they are not acting to bring an end to animal abuse on their networks.' Environment minister Emma Hardy welcomed the bill, calling it a 'crucial step forward' in tackling pet smuggling. She added, 'We want to see fewer low-welfare operations supply pets to the GB market and fundamentally less animals to suffer because of this.' - Reuters
New Straits Times
04-07-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
UK lawmakers pass bill to stop imports of kittens and puppies
LONDON: A Bill that aims to stop animal smuggling and cruelty cleared the United Kingdom's (UK) House of Commons on Friday after cross-party support, PA Media/dpa reported. Legislation put forward by Liberal Democrat MP Danny Chambers will reduce the number of animals for non-commercial entry into the UK, ban the import of puppies and kittens under six months old or heavily pregnant dogs and cats, and introduce a halt on the import of dogs and cats who have been 'mutilated'. The lawmaker's Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill was supported by the government, and will now proceed to the House of Lords on its passage to becoming law. Chambers said: "As a vet, I've seen the devastating consequences of puppy smuggling. "It's unimaginably cruel to separate puppies and kittens from their mothers at a very young age, and then bring them across borders in substandard conditions where they're then sold for maximum profit by unscrupulous traders who prioritise profit over welfare. "Careful consideration has been given to setting these limits, balancing the need to disrupt illegal trade with minimising impact on genuine pet owners. "To underpin this, only an owner, not an authorised person, will be permitted to sign and declare that the movement of a dog or cat is non-commercial. "Crucially, the bill places a duty on the government to use these regulation-making powers to first deliver three key measures – a ban on the import of puppies and kittens under six months old, a ban on the import of heavily pregnant dogs and cats that are more than 42 days pregnant, and a ban on the import of dogs and cats who've been mutilated." He criticised the influence of social media on the increased demand for dogs with docked ears, and a party colleague hit out at the platforms' role in publishing animal abuse. "One reason that there is such an interest in dogs with cropped ears is that a lot of influencers on Instagram and other social media platforms pose with these dogs or show they have these new dogs with cropped ears. Many people aren't aware that this is a mutilation. "They think it's how the dogs' ears normally look, and it drives a demand for dogs that look like this." Labour MP Peter Lamb directly named Meta, which owns Facebook, as a company that publishes content featuring animal abuse. "There are far too many groups online which are dedicated to animal abuse. Constituents of mine have been involved in attempts to try and shut these groups down over the years. "They'll also often find that instead of finding support on the part of social media companies, to try and address these problems, instead it is they who are reported and face their own accounts being shut down by those perpetrators. "We cannot rest on our laurels and Meta must be made to answer for the fact that they are not acting to bring an end to animal abuse on their networks, and that they are profiting actively from the advertising which appears on that network, and advertisers must be aware that part of what they are paying for, when they pay to advertise on Facebook, is maintenance of animal abuse networks," he said. Environment Minister Emma Hardy said: "These measures represent a crucial step forward in our collective efforts to tackle the pet smuggling trade." Hardy added: "We want to see fewer low-welfare operations supply pets to the GB market and fundamentally less animals to suffer because of this. "As set out in the government's manifesto, we are committed to ending puppy smuggling and delivering a better future for our animals and I am pleased to say that this bill does just that."
Evening Standard
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Evening Standard
MPs back plans for ministers to ease pub last orders without Parliament debate
Mr Ranger's Bill was one of five to clear the Commons on Friday, alongside the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill which would pave the way for a ban on imports of puppies and kittens under six months old, dogs and cats which are more than 42 days pregnant, and dogs and cats which have been mutilated.
Irish Post
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Post
Assembly backs law stopping mutilated pets being imported into Northern Ireland
THE Northern Ireland Assembly has approved a legal motion to stop the importation of pets which have been mutilated for 'aesthetic reasons'. In a move described as a 'significant moment' on the North's 'journey towards increasing animal welfare protections for pets', the Assembly approved a Legislative Consent Motion (LCM) to extend powers contained in the UK's Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill to Northern Ireland. Currently progressing through parliament, the legislation will allow Northern Ireland's Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to introduce new rules to restrict the import of cats and dogs which have been subject to painful practices like de-clawing or ear cropping. 'I am committed to ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare and creating a safe environment for all pets,' DAERA Minister Andrew Muir said. It has been against the law to mutilate any animal for cosmetic reasons in Northern Ireland since 2011 (Pic: Rolling news) 'I welcome this approval by the Assembly which marks a significant step forward in protecting companion animals from cruel and inhumane practices,' he added. While it has been against the law to mutilate any animal for cosmetic reasons in Northern Ireland since 2011, it is not illegal to buy a cat or a dog from another country where these practices are still permitted or tolerated. 'No animal should be subjected to mutilations for aesthetic reasons,' Minister Muir said. 'Ear cropping or tail docking are intensely painful procedures, carried out at a young age and deliver no health or welfare benefits,' he added. 'Gaining consent provides my department with the ability to close any remaining loopholes in our law and it sends a message that these inhumane practices have no place in our society." The Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill is a UK government-backed Private Members Bill, which was introduced by the MP for Winchester, Dr Danny Chambers. Once it achieves Royal Assent, it will provide powers to DAERA to make legislation in the NI Assembly to prohibit the importation of these animals on welfare grounds. See More: Law, Mutilation, Northern Ireland Assembly, Pets
