The scale of illegal puppy imports though ferry ports Dumfries and Galloway is a real problem. Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Trading Standards team, working under animal welfare legislation, have been in partnership with the SSPCA to combat this illicit trade since 2016.
Members of the Council’s Economy, Environment and Infrastructure Committee will meet on 12thSeptember to discuss the progress of this project to date and to decide whether it should be continued for a further 12 months.
The pilot of this project was run between January and November 2016. By September officers had stopped seven people at Cairnryan who were found to be in possession of a total of 140 illicit puppies. These puppies were removed from their possession and rehomed.
Since September last year a further 32 vehicles have been stopped by police Scotland and 47 individuals questioned about puppies in their possession or evidence that they had been involved in the transportation of puppies from Ireland. Evidence showed 261 puppies travelling through the port during this time.
The SSPCA’s authorisations were extended for 12 months by Members of EEI Committee in November 2016, if Members of this Committee agree, then these powers could be extended until November 2018. This would allow additional measures to be developed in tandem with this project, such as a public register of licensed breeders and the extension of our council’s established Trusted Trader scheme to include these and licensed dog boarders.
Councillor Archie Dryburgh, Chair of EEI Committee said: “Puppy trafficking is a terrible trade, both for the dogs concerned and for the consumers who purchase them. By working in partnership with other agencies including SSPCA and Police Scotland we can be more effective in disrupting this trade. Owning a dog can be such a positive and rewarding experience, but it is increasingly difficult for people to know if the puppy they are buying is not only legitimate, but healthy.”
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