Dogs Trust Manchester urges people not to buy pets for Christmas to avoid helping puppy smuggling criminals

Mancunians who may be toying with the idea of getting a puppy for Christmas are being warned by an animal charity to think again in order to avoid filling the pockets of criminal organisations.

Dogs Trust Manchester says unscrupulous puppy smugglers often look to cash in on the festive frenzy of spending as many people fall in love with the idea of adding a cute four-legged member to the family. Festive shoppers are being urged to remain vigilant if shopping for a puppy and advice is being shared on how to tell when deals are simply too good to be true and prospective customers should just walk away.

The charity has also said its advice is not to get animals for Christmas as presents at all and explained how much work goes into rehabilitating animals from puppy-smuggling organisations, which are often rescued from shocking conditions.

What has the Dogs Trust said about buying a puppy at Christmas?

The Dogs Trust has said its key piece of advice to residents for the Christmas season is to avoid buying a puppy as a present at all. It has warned that shelling out cash for four-legged friends often ends up fuelling the illegal puppy trade and smuggling organisations.

The charity says the festive season is something of a “perfect storm” for the puppy-smuggling trade due to the increase and popularity of shopping online. It says it is extremely concerned that people are able to search and find a puppy advertised for sale at the click of a button and that the penalties for those caught illegally importing dogs are paltry compared to the huge profits potentially there to be made.

If people insist on adding a four-legged friend to their household this Christmas, the charity has issued a list of advice points. They are:

• Ask to see mum and pup together

• Visit your new pup more than once

• Get all your pup’s paperwork before going home

• Check that the pup is at a legal age to be separated from their mum (over eight weeks old)

• Walk away if you’re at all unsure

• Report all suspicious sellers or breeders to Trading Standards

• Don’t meet anywhere that isn’t the pup’s home

• Don’t buy a pup from anyone who can supply various breeds on demand

• Don’t pay anything until you have met the pup in person

• Don’t feel pressure to buy a puppy.

The charity says dachshunds, bichons and pomeranians among the top breeds seized at the UK border in the lead-up to Christmas, so people should be extra careful if they are considering getting one of these breeds. The Dogs Trust has been campaigning for years for tighter restrictions and has again written to ministers this December urging them to get legislation which would help to tackle the ilegal trade through Parliament as a priority.

How big a problem is puppy smuggling?

Dogs Trust says that since its Puppy Pilot scheme launched in 2015 more than 2,000 puppies have been seized at the UK border and handed over to the charity for looking after. It is estimated these animals would have fetched around £3m between them if sold to prospective pet owners.

Dogs Trust has also seen a 60% increase in the number of pregnant dogs seized at UK borders since 2021, many in the late stages of pregnancy and with some giving birth within days of arriving in the country. And in a six-week period between late September and early November 27 pregnant dogs were seized entering the UK, whose puppies were intended for the Christmas market.

The dog welfare charity expects numbers to continue to rise if urgent action is not taken.

It says the impact on animal welfare is significant. Pregnant dogs have been found in horrendous conditions and they are often extremely nervous due to being badly treated.

What has the Dogs Trust said about puppy smuggling and buying dogs this Christmas?

Lisa Eardley, rehoming centre manager for the Dogs Trust, said: “It’s very easy, especially when you’re looking for a puppy, to make decisions with your heart. But this is exactly the trap smugglers want you to fall into. Unknowingly buying a smuggled puppy could have very real consequences for the owner too. The puppy might be too young to have been legally imported or have health issues that you don’t necessarily notice until too late.

“If we don’t crack down on puppy smuggling soon, our fear is that it will continue causing suffering and misery for so many dogs. We are urging the Government to progress the Kept Animals Bill through Parliament as a priority, to introduce vital protections for pets and bring an end to this barbaric trade.”