Rabies risk from puppy imports
Raise minimum age to 6 months, MPs urged
PUPPIES imported into Britain risk spreading rabies and other fatal diseases, MPs will hear today.
The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee will hear evidence supporting our call to set six months as the minimum age for puppies entering the country.
TV vet Marc Abraham, leading our Ban Puppy Imports campaign, will tell MPs in written evidence that puppies bred aboard are vaccinated against rabies “once if at all”.
He says that means “huge, potentially fatal health risks to humans, dogs and other animals in the destination country of the UK”. The sixmonth rule would also cut the risk of other potentially fatal diseases such as brucellosis, leishmaniasis and distemper.
Our call to increase the age is supported by the Dogs Trust and British Veterinary Association, whose evidence will be heard today.
The move would give time for blood tests to confirm diseases aren’t present.
It would also make laws easier to enforce as border agents could examine a dog’s teeth to check its age.
And older dogs would be better able to cope with the journey to the UK from abroad.
So far around 130,000 animal- lovers have signed a petition calling on the
Government to clamp down on the international puppy trade. Started by dog- lover Lucy Parkinson of Preston, Lancs, the petition also has support from Katie Piper, Dermot O’Leary, Coleen Nolan, Sherrie Hewson and Bill Bailey.
The death of Love Island couple Molly Mae and Tommy Fury’s Pomeranian Mr Chai, just six days after being imported – legally – from Russia helped raise awareness.
Speaking to the Mirror last week, pop star and dog owner Olly Murs urged: “Do not support the horrific importation of puppies from abroad.”
The proposed rule change would not affect rescue pups.