Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
‘Sick’ attack on puppy campaign Dogs Trust and Blue Cross defy dog lovers demanding Lucy’s Law
ANIMAL welfare campaigners have reacted with disgust to efforts by one of Britain’s biggest animal charities to derail the fight to end puppy farming – just when victory is in sight.
The Lucy’s Law campaign is calling for an immediate ban on the sale of puppies by pet shops and other third-party dealers, a trade that keeps cruel puppy farms in the UK and abroad in business.
The campaign is due to be debated in Parliament on Monday thanks to more than 132,000 animal lovers who signed the official e-petition and the work of dozens of grassroots animal welfare groups nationwide.
Almost unbelievably Dogs Trust – annual income nearly £100million – has been caught lobbying Parliament to prevent an immediate ban.
It has emailed MPS: “While Dogs Trust wants to see an end to thirdparty sales and the sale of puppies in pet shops, we believe that a ban on third-party sellers alone would not be sufficiently robust.”
The charity says “ethical breeders in the UK cannot meet the growing demand for certain types of puppies” and puppy farmers could sell through fake dog rescue centres.
This argument was ridiculed by the founder of the Lucy’s Law campaign, vet Marc Abraham.
“It will be easy to spot fake rescue centres because they’ll be selling dogs for hundreds of pounds more than genuine not-forprofit rescue centres,” he said.
“Dogs Trust also claim that an immediate ban would drive this trade underground but this isn’t guns or drugs, no one’s looking for an illegal puppy, dealers selling puppies as a business will need to advertise and so will be easily detectable.
“An immediate ban is simple, easy to enforce, and is needed without delay to stop so much suffering.”
Some supporters of Lucy’s Law have suggested that the charity is too close to the pet industry, which fears that a ban on pet-shop pups may eventually lead to a ban on all animals being sold like commodities.
Last financial year Dogs Trust got free dog food worth £450,000 from the chain Pets at Home.
One leading supporter of Lucy’s Law is CARIAD – Care And Respect Includes All Dogs.
Founder Linda Goodman said: “With overwhelming support for an immediate ban coming from charities, rescue centres and ethical pet companies across the UK, it’s sickening to see constant delaying tactics from Dogs Trust.”
Downton Abbey actor and animal welfare fighter Peter Egan said: “I am amazed this wealthy charity continues to fudge the real issue regarding the disgusting puppy trade business.”
Animal Advocate tweeted: “What the hell is wrong with Dogs Trust? Stop defending the indefensible.”
“Shame on them,” posted the Stolen And Missing Pets Alliance.
Dogs Trust looks isolated – its only ally is the charity Blue Cross, which claims a ban could cause “the illegal puppy trade to flourish”.
It’s a strange argument considering that puppy farms are already flourishing under the current discredited licence system, while a ban on third-party sales would cut their route to market.
Even some celebrity Dogs Trust backers such as patron Eamonn Holmes have publicly endorsed Lucy’s Law, named after a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who spent years in a puppy farm before being rescued.
Animal lover and TV presenter Gail Porter said she used to support Dogs Trust, but no longer.
“I’m a huge advocate of Lucy’s Law and had no idea that they were trying to stop it,” she said.
“I’m beyond dumbfounded.” A Dogs Trust spokesman insisted “Dog welfare is at the heart of everything we do” but tellingly admitted that if Lucy’s Law is introduced it would not try to have it overturned.