Last week I attended an event organised by Dogs Trust at the House of Commons where the charity called on the Government to take urgent action to end the cruel practice of Puppy Smuggling.
The charity is also calling for the Government to include visual checks at the borders in its plan to put a stop to the cruel trade once and for all.
The Kept Animals Bill includes provisions to tackle abuse of the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS), which the charity has been exposing since 2014.
I was shocked to learn about the horrendous ways in which puppies are smuggled into the UK and the poor conditions they endure. I hope that Dogs Trust’s campaign will motivate the Government to progress with the Kept Animals Bill and to include their recommendation of including a requirement to carry out a visual check on dogs entering the country, as this will be a key factor in bringing about the end of Puppy Smuggling.