Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
‘FARMED’ PUPPIES SEIZED AT PORT
Weeks-old dogs brought on Belfast ferry in ‘horrendous circumstances’
THIRTEEN puppies have been found in “filthy conditions” after being smuggled through a sea port.
The Scottish SPCA recovered the animals as they were being brought into Cairnryan in Dumfries and Galloway at the weekend.
Welfare officers caught the alleged dealer who had travelled with the puppies from Belfast.
They discovered various breeds, all just a few weeks old, being held in “horrendous circumstances” and in “poor body condition”.
Two of the pups had to be taken for emergency veterinary treatment. One later had to be put down, while the other is recovering from breathing problems.
The dogs are now receiving round-theclock care at a Scottish SPCA animal rescue and rehoming centre.
Charity chiefs fear the illegal market will begin ramping up after a brief respite during the coronavirus restrictions across the UK and Ireland.
Chief superintendent Mike Flynn said yesterday: “The lockdown initially led to a dramatic decrease in activity in the puppy trade.
“However, we’ve been keeping a close eye on things and we are concerned traders and dealers are becoming more active again, even more so now restrictions have eased slightly in Scotland.
“We cannot stress this enough – the supply for badly-bred puppies will only disappear if public demand stops.
“Every year, thousands of pups are dying alone and in
CAIRNRYAN YESTERDAY
pain, at just days or weeks old, to fuel the trade. We will continue to fight it every step of the way but we need each and every person to do their bit to help us.
“Many responsible breeders put a hold on breeding during the pandemic but we are aware of some breeders ramping up prices due to lack of supply.
“This could drive people to buy a puppy without doing their homework on where they are getting it from.
“There are thousands of adverts on websites like Gumtree for puppies but there is no guarantee you are buying from a responsible breeder when you shop online. “Many dealers will use false names and phone numbers to sell a dog, making it impossible for a buyer to get a hold of them when the pup falls ill.” The special investigations unit raid was part of Operation Delphin, a Uk-wide taskforce set up to disrupt the illicit puppy trade, believed to be worth £13million in Scotland alone.