RSPCA launches campaign to stop the 'puppy traffickers'

Results of an undercover investigation coupled with real-life owner experiences are unveiled by the RSPCA today to expose the grim realities of unethical 'puppy trafficking'.

As part of the campaign, undercover RSPCA officers test purchased six puppies - with two of the dogs found to have potentially fatal illnesses. One, Chardonnay, a cavalier King Charles spaniel cross, was diagnosed with pneumonia but despite constant care she died two weeks later. Frank, a mastiff, had parvo virus, but was saved by vets.

The RSPCA believes this is just a snapshot of the whole worrying picture. Consumer Direct, the government advisory service, received more than 700 puppy-related calls in 2007, many of which concerned animals that became ill soon after purchase, or were not as described in adverts.

Mark Evans, RSPCA Chief Veterinary Adviser, said: "Puppy trafficking is a despicable, profit-driven business. We want the dog-loving public to destroy the puppy trafficker's market. If you're planning to buy a puppy, do your homework. Question everything and make absolutely sure the puppy you buy has come from a loving, caring home. Let common sense prevail and if something doesn't seem right, it probably isn't, so walk away."

New surveys highlight the problem

A new survey shows that 73%(1) of vets are concerned about the trade in puppies, or 'puppy trafficking', which sees about 1000 puppies a week(2) imported from Ireland into Wales and then sold on further afield, via internet or newspaper advertising or by pet shops.

Yet in a new online survey (3):

Only 2% of those who bought a puppy in the last three years believed it was from Ireland.

The scale of the problem is further put into context by another new survey(4), which shows:

Nearly a third of 16-24 year olds were considering buying a puppy with in the next few years.

Half of those would consider getting it from a pet shop.

The Society believes it is high time that people planning on buying a puppy know the risks they face if they don't do their research and get one from either a rescue centre or a responsible breeder.

Mark Evans added that mothers may be kept as nothing more than breeding machines and have a miserable life, forced to produce litter after litter. The puppies they give birth to are treated as products and are unceremoniously passed on to unscrupulous traders or sold direct to naïve new owners.

"The RSPCA believes that many are likely to have been exposed to disease and may become seriously ill, or even die, within days or weeks of entering their new home. And puppies that have only experienced life on a puppy farm may be mentally unprepared for life as a family pet making them more vulnerable to developing behaviour problems as they grow up," he said.

Real life experience

One owner who contacted the RSPCA, Garry Green from Feltham, bought a golden cocker spaniel puppy from a pet shop, but the puppy died three weeks later from a lung condition.

"When we got Alfie home he kept coughing and gagging as if he had something stuck in the back of his throat. In the following three weeks we went to the vets 29 times and spent about £1200 on vets' bills," said Garry.

"When we got him we didn't think about any of the potential problems. We fell in love with him and handed over the money."

RSPCA investigation (5)

Tim Wass, Chief Officer of the RSPCA Inspectorate, said that in the cases of the two sick dogs test-purchased, undercover inspectors were told they had been vaccinated, when blood tests showed no evidence of this.

They were also asked to sign a disclaimer saying the dog must be checked by a vet within 48 hours, but not treated. Any treatment was to be carried out by the seller's vet, which the RSPCA believes is potentially suspicious.

"This investigation shows only a small snapshot of what's happening, but if these figures are multiplied to reflect the huge market for puppies in this country, then we are talking about a lot of sick dogs," he said.

COI Wass also pointed out that four of the six dogs were healthy, although two had behavioural problems, and were sold with good advice and paperwork. A short film featuring undercover footage from the investigation can be seen at www.giveanimalsavoice.org.uk

RSPCA advice to consumers:

Always try to see a puppy with its mother in the place where it was bred, and pay attention to the mother's size, health, personality and reaction to the puppy - is it the real mother? Ideally see the father too. If you can't see them, be suspicious

Try to find out as much as possible about where the puppy has come from, and beware if the breeder is from outside the UK

If you are told the puppy has been vaccinated, check the vaccination cards carefully. Be wary if the vet's contact details are not visible, or have an address outside the UK

Pedigree certificates are never a guarantee for the condition of your puppy, and may not even mean you are buying a pure-bred dog

Never buy from someone who offers to deliver your puppy or arranges to meet you somewhere

As hard as it will be, never buy a puppy just because you feel sorry for it

If something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't - use your common sense, and walk away

If you are concerned about how you were sold the puppy, contact Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06

If you have welfare concerns about puppies you have seen, contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999

Always consider instead adopting a rescue dog from an animal welfare organisation.

- ends -

Notes to editors

For more information, photographs and interviews, contact the RSPCA national press office. A VNR/audio is available containing undercover footage from the RSPCA investigation, plus interviews with Mark Evans, Garry Green and dog behaviourist Gwen Bailey. Case study details are attached below.

A short film showing under-cover footage of the test purchases, including Chardonnay and Frank, is available to view on www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnJShYhbDBU.

1. The RSPCA surveyed 432 vets in June 2008. 51% of vets were fairly concerned and 22% very concerned about the trade in puppies. 23% reported an increase in puppies being presented at their practice that may have been bred on a puppy farm (compared to three years ago). For further survey results, contact the press office.
2. This figure is an estimate based on intelligence gathered by the RSPCA's Special Operations Unit.
3. Figure from an RSPCA online survey of 2000 people conducted in May 2008. The first figure shows that there is a discrepancy between the number of dogs being trafficked from Ireland, and the awareness of buyers as to their puppy's origin.
4. TNS Online Survey conducted between 12 - 16 June 2008, on a sample of 1006 adults aged 16-64. These figures show the scale of puppy buying in this country.
5. RSPCA test purchases were carried out at six pet shops in the South East in January 2008. For full details of the dogs, prices, conditions etc, contact the press office. Photographs of all the puppies, plus a current picture of Frank, the mastiff which survived parvo virus, are also available.

National Case Studies

Garry Green & Alfie - Pet Shop, fatality
Feltham, Middlesex

Garry Green and his partner Stacey Smithson instantly fell in love with golden cocker spaniel puppy Alfie and couldn't wait to get him home. But their joy was short lived and the tiny puppy was on the vet's treatment table less than 24-hours after they bought him from a pet shop. Three-and-a-half weeks later Alfie died of a lung condition.

"When we got him home he kept coughing and gagging as if he had something stuck in the back of his throat. We took Alfie straight to the vet who told us he had breathing difficulties and there was a possibility he had a heart murmur," said Garry.

"In the following three weeks we went to the vets between about 29 times and spent about £1,200 on vets bills. "When we got him we didn't think about any of the potential problems. We didn't think of it like that. We fell in love with him and handed over the money. We just wanted to take him home.

"The pet shop just handed him over. They just wanted our money. My mum had got her dog from the same pet shop and he is nearly 15, so I thought it would be fine."

Garry, 28, said he and Stacey, 22, were stunned when they received a call from the vets to tell them Alfie was dead less than a month after they bought him.

The couple are now the proud owners of Missy and Sophie, two cocker spaniel puppies purchased from a Kennel Club registered breeder. But postman Garry admits they learned the hard way about the perils of buying a sick puppy.

He said: "When we went to buy Missy and Sophie we got to see them with their mum and dad and we took a list of questions which we felt we needed to ask. We weren't put under any pressure and were very careful. We didn't want to make the same mistakes."

Georgina Sutton & Molly - Service Station Delivery
Holme Pierrepont, Nottinghamshire

Georgina Sutton knew things weren't right the minute she saw Molly in the back of a battered car. She had agreed to meet a man at a petrol station after he convinced her it would be the most convenient way to deliver her new puppy.

But despite instantly realising Molly was suffering from ill health, her heart ruled her head and she paid £280 to take the tiny six-week old animal home with her.

She said: "I had already got a black lab, Lola, and wanted to get her a companion. I looked around for breeders but there weren't any locally so I found a website with details of a guy who had some labs.

"I spoke to him and his wife and they both sounded very nice and said the puppies had been home reared. They said they were from Cumbria but I didn't mind as people had told me I should expect to travel.

"Despite arranging to visit them, two days after I called they said they were going to be in Newark, which is only down the road from me, so they could meet me there.

"They said they would meet me at a petrol station and bring a couple of puppies with them. I didn't like the sound of it, but they convinced me it would be okay and I just thought they were being kind," added Georgina.

The 41-year-old said when she arrived at the service station she met another woman who had arranged to buy a puppy.

"The minute the car rolled up I told her definitely not to buy. The puppies were crammed into small cages in the back of this old beaten-up car."

But Georgina didn't follow her own good advice. She said: "I couldn't let my little Molly go back with them. She was half-dead when I got her home and I took her straight to my vet.

"I rang the breeder and told him Molly was in poor health, but he blamed me. He said it was my fault. I've spent thousands of pounds on treatment since I got her.

"I've had all of her legs X-rayed and had scans on her heart and lungs. She's had all sorts of problems but the only thing she has now is arthritis in her elbow joints.

"I know I shouldn't have bought her and I committed the ultimate sin, but I just wanted to see if I could help in my own way. Molly's case is not as bad as some, but it is still bad enough. At least now she's got the life she deserves."

Kelly Topping and Jack - Behavioural Problems
Burnley, Lancashire

Kelly Topping was delighted when she got Jack, her Staffordshire bull terrier puppy, after she bought him from a kennels near her Burnley home. The dog appeared fit, healthy and happy. It was only six months down the line when she started noticing her beloved puppy was displaying some strange behaviour.

Jack would regularly cower and hide when he saw things which ranged from a woman with a pram to plastic bags. It was only when she and her partner approached an animal behaviourist that she discovered her dog had most likely started its life in a puppy farm.

She said: "We had always wanted a Staff and I had heard about some kennels nearby which sold puppies. We went along and had a quick look, but didn't really think about it. We just bought the dog. We paid £450, but they didn't ask us any questions.

"There were countless breeds there, but we didn't think they would be getting their puppies from puppy farms.

"The man we bought Jack from assured us that he knew the breeder well and that Jack had been born in Wales at a pub. He even provided some contact details so we could get a photograph of Jack's mum and dad. He tried in vein to contact the number, but never heard a thing and I am not convinced they exist."

The problems really started to emerge when Jack reached the age of six months.

"Staffs are supposed to be nanny dogs, but Jack is scared to death of children. It is a good job he is here with me as someone else might have abandoned him by now," said Kelly.

Other strange behaviour includes a fear of the sound of rattling coins and sandpaper. Kelly believes Jack's behaviour may be a direct result of coming from a puppy farm, where he may not have been properly socialised with other people and the world around him.

She now recommends that anybody who is thinking of getting a puppy visit a reputable breeder where they can see the dog in a home environment with its parents, before they hand over their cash.

ends


RSPCA, Wilberforce Way, Southwater, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 9RS
Press office direct lines: 0300 123 0244/0288 Fax: 0303 123 0099
Duty press officer (evenings and weekends) Tel 0870 0555500 and ask for pager number 828825
Email: press@rspca.org.uk Website: www.rspca.org.uk

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Keep dogs cool! Don't let your dog overheat - or die - in your car, caravan or conservatory.
Find out more at: http://www.rspca.org.uk/keepdogscool

Disclaimer:
Press releases published on this page are from key opinion formers who promote their organisation's activities by subscribing to a campaign site within politics.co.uk. politics.co.uk does not endorse, edit, or attempt to balance the opinions expressed on this page. The content of press releases are wholly the responsibility of the originating company or organisation.