Buyers warned of ‘unscrupulous puppy breeders’
CHARITIES are warning potential dog owners of “unscrupulous breeders”, as Cardiff Council has taken in thousands of strays and had to put more than 160 of them to sleep.
People are being urged to consider rehoming rescue dogs rather than going to breeders, as over the past six years Cardiff Dogs Home has taken in 3,836 stray dogs.
A total of 2,198 strays were reunited with their owners and 2,326 were rehomed.
But 166 stray dogs in Cardiff have been put down since 2013-14 – with health or behavioural reasons or banned breeds among the reasons why.
It comes as Cardiff Council is looking to set up a new dogs home in the city.
The Dogs Trust is warning of “thousands of unscrupulous breeders” selling “unhealthy puppies” online which may have been brought into the country illegally.
A Dogs Trust spokesman said: “Thousands of stray dogs are unable to be reunited with their owners each year because their tag and chip details are not up to date.
“If you move to a new house or change your phone number, make updating the details on your dog’s tag and chip a number-one priority.”
Earlier this year, the Dogs Trust unveiled plans for its brand-new Cardiff Rehoming Centre, which is set to open in 2021 and will help save 1,000 dogs a year, with some of these being strays.
Cardiff Dogs Home was given two awards by the RSPCA after 97% of the dogs it looked after were rehomed or reunited with their owners last year.
Cardiff Council says it has no plans to outsource its stray dogs provision to the Dogs Trust – which plans to build a new £18m rehoming centre in Nettlefold Road in Splott in 2021.
That’s despite the Dogs Trust proposing a new partnership with the council for its stray dogs provision in its planning application for the new centre.
Cardiff Council says the application “shouldn’t have made any mention of a partnership with the council” and it is looking into a number of options to “increase the commercial opportunities” for Cardiff Dogs Home.
Councillor Michael Michael, cabinet member for clean streets, recycling and environment, said this could involve a new facility with boarding kennels and exercise yards.
He said he hopes to make a decision over the future of Cardiff Dogs Home in the next six months.
Cllr Michael said: “We asked lots of questions of the Dogs Trust and we didn’t get the answers we were looking for. We are therefore exploring the future of Cardiff Dogs Home in a better place.
“We had discussions with the Dogs Trust and we were not satisfied with the answers we have been given. Their approach was not a partnership approach.”
A council spokesman said: “It is always sad when any dog has to be put to sleep and this decision is only taken if there is no other option, normally on the advice of a vet due to health issues or as a matter of law where the dog in question is a banned breed or has been deemed aggressive and a risk to rehome.
“Kennelling dogs is a statutory function and we have no plans for this service to be carried out by the Dogs Trust or any other third party.
“Last year, 97% of the dogs looked after at Cardiff Dogs Home were rehomed or reunited with their owners and the service has recently been awarded two RSPCA PawPrint awards in recognition of the good work being done at the home.”
Cardiff Council says that of the 14 dogs put to sleep last year, six were for health reasons, one was for behaviour and seven because they were banned breeds.
The average number of stray dogs, and dogs being put down, being taken in every year has fallen over the past six years.
RSPCA chief veterinary officer Dr Caroline Allen said: “It is always sad to hear of dogs having to be put to sleep.
“However, it is very positive to see that the numbers of dogs having to be put to sleep by Cardiff Dogs Home has fallen dramatically in recent years – and that last year, the Dogs Home only put dogs to sleep for necessary health, behavioural or legal reasons.
“Indeed, we are aware of so much good work Cardiff Dogs Home do to support strays and promote responsible dog ownership.”
“It is fantastic that Cardiff Dogs Home continues to rehome hundreds of dogs each and every year.”