Moves by the Government to crack down on illegal puppy imports have been welcomed by the British Veterinary Association.
The measures – which form part of Defra’s Action Plan on Animal Welfare and have been set out for consultation – will raise the minimum age for importing a puppy from 15 weeks to six months; ban the import of dogs with cropped ears and docked tails; and prohibit the import of heavily pregnant dogs to help protect puppy and mother welfare.
Statistics from a BVA survey earlier this year reveal that nearly six in 10 (58%) small animal vets have been presented with dogs with cropped ears in the last year, the doberman being the breed most commonly presented.
A campaign, spearheaded by BVA and The FOAL Group alongside a wide range of veterinary and animal welfare organisations under the #CutTheCrop #FlopNotCrop banners earlier this year, amplified the call for swift action to end the legal loopholes that allow ear cropping to continue.
Veterinary organisations have also repeatedly raised awareness of the plight of pets that are illegally smuggled into Great Britain, sometimes by criminal gangs that dupe new owners into buying sick or poorly socialised pets.
BVA senior vice president Daniella Dos Santos said: “We’re delighted that the Government has listened to concerns raised repeatedly by veterinary and animal welfare organisations and is acting decisively to clamp down on the evils of puppy smuggling, ear cropping and tail docking.”
