"Record numbers of illegal puppies are being smuggled across the Channel into the UK ready for the Christmas trade.

In three undercover operations the Dogs Trust seized 100 young dogs in just one week from Folkestone and Dover ports. But the UK's largest dog welfare charity said the clampdown was "just the tip of the iceberg", and feared people looking for a cheap puppy would fuel the illegal trade. The pups are found in "shocking conditions", with severe health issues.

The Dogs Trust said it had come across seven Cane Corso pups with infected wounds after their ears and tails were cropped and docked, apparently using scissors and vodka...."

Full article HERE

The only fact here is that if the demand stopped, so should the supply, but will that be in time to stop the puppies being sent into the UK for this Christmas?   And what happens to them if they don't sell?   Where, dare I ask, are the RSPCA in all of this - at the borders where the majority of these puppies get into the country?   Of course not.

I suppose it's just the hope that if we all continue to shout 'SEE MUM WITH HER LITTER AND MEET THE BREEDERS FACE TO FACE' to say nothing of NEVER BUY A PUPPY FOR CHRISTMAS, the message might start to get through, to some people.   But people want 'instant' and don't want to have to do the necessary homework.    My nephew and family did exactly that after asking me about 'which breed of puppy'.   I told him and said I'd get back with some names ... by the time I did, and it was only in a matter of hours, he was with a breeder and had bought a puppy - that puppy had both hips and one elbow operated on at 8 months (too young in my book too) and was never right.   He died young.

That is why I firmly believe in tighter controls on breeding.  Too many people in the general public simply don't give a sh!t where their puppy comes from or how it was bred, so won't go to a responsible breeder.  I cannot even begin to count the number of poorly bred litters I've seen on FB just in the last few months where the comments are 100% people cooing over the cute babies and asking to buy them.  Anyone who dares speak out is immediately jumped on.

For this particular problem there does need to be more in place to prevent the smuggled pups getting through - cut off the chain right there - I wonder if there are any sniffer dogs trained to search vehicles for puppies?

>I wonder if there are any sniffer dogs trained to search vehicles for puppies?

I remember reading somewhere that a 'drugs' dogs found smuggled puppies during a vehicle search. I would think most search dogs would give some kind of indication if they came across another dog/pup - especially if they could not actually see it because it was hidden.

" Too many people in the general public simply don't give a sh!t where their puppy comes from or how it was bred, so won't go to a responsible breeder".

However vulnerable puppy buyers may feel justifiably secure in the source of their new pet when the sale is associated with a Company who is believed to be responsible towards animal welfare.

PetPlan

I suppose it's just the hope that if we all continue to shout 'SEE MUM WITH HER LITTER AND MEET THE BREEDERS FACE TO FACE' to say nothing of NEVER BUY A PUPPY FOR CHRISTMAS, the message might start to get through, to some people.   But people want 'instant' and don't want to have to do the necessary homework.

Sadly I think you're spot on MamaBas. In the past week I've had 18 different people contact me asking if I have any pups available (last litter I had was in March and advertised before they were born) and if I had can they come and see them straight away etc. All of them were clearly looking for a quick fix pup and didn't give me any information about themselves, a few didn't even leave their name, this was an exact email I got:
'Hello
Do you have puppies available?
Many Thanks'
I mean come on seriously?! When I was advertising for my last litter don't get me wrong there were lots of people I declined or said I didn't have a pup for them and received emails/texts from people that weren't presenting themselves well...something that's important to me when they're wanting one of my pups. But I was so unprepared to be bombarded with people around this time of year asking for a pup when I'm not even advertising and I just can't believe that out of all the people who have contacted me, if I had pups available, I wouldn't be selling any of my pups to one of them.
I replied to the majority of them...to be polite...and said that I hadn't any available, which is the truth. And haven't heard back from any of them (smh)

Sadly over this past year I've seen and heard of a lot of dogs near me who have come from bybs due to the majority of owners not doing enough research, finding a breeder on a free online site and going to see, collect and buy the puppy all in 1 trip

Not that it has to do with this illegal trade, but I happen to believe that if breeders (some!) were more welcoming with people who enquire about puppies, it might mean people don't resort to sources like these poor puppies.  Much as they do ALL need homes.  When doing our occasional litters, before they were on the ground, or when just planned, I'd take names and when I had puppies available, would phone the people in my book.  It was irritating to find they'd gone elsewhere, or even bought a different breed but with that, I looked on it as 'so much for wanting one of MINE'!!

Some people are put off by a breeder being abrupt with them, or not even bothering to answer emails/return calls which could push these people into the arms of puppies from puppy mills etc.   I have to say it was an eye-opener when, having ended my own bloodlines, I started searching for a puppy from my own breed.    A bit of politeness, with novice owners especially, goes a long way.

I must be very lucky  as although I am sure it happens I can honestly say when I have been researching  I have never had anything but great conversation with breeders I have spoken to . I usual phone unless the website requests other communication and it's always been very friendly and helpful.

The twice we had litters ready to go at Christmas we kept then to the new year we do not sell at Christmas they were twelve weeks when they started to go

Polite or not, it won't make any difference to some, the minute you say you don't have pups for sale, they will move onto the next source they have found, be it another good breeder,BYB or puppy farm.
They don't care, they want a puppy and they want it now, then moan when the get some poor badly bred pup that needs lots of vet care and dump it on rescue.
Then if they do succeed along come the summer hols and kennel costs, another peak time for rescue, get rid of the dog and get another when you get back or for next christmas, so it goes on