Scots say buying pups online unsafe but hard to spot dodgy dealers

More than 80% of Scots think buying a puppy online is unsafe, according to a survey by the Scottish SPCA.

However, the animal welfare charity, which questioned 3,188 people, found 35% of Scots do not feel confident they would be able to tell the difference between a responsible breeder and a puppy dealer.

The Scottish SPCA said the puppy trade in Scotland is reported to be worth around £13 million a year, and irresponsible breeders almost exclusively sell puppies online.

Its chief superintendent Mike Flynn said: “There tends to be a spike in interest in buying a pup during the school holidays.

“Combined with lockdown, many people being at home more and a lack of supply from responsible breeders, it is a perfect storm for puppy dealers and traders to profit.

“The fact that one in three Scots would struggle to tell whether someone is a responsible breeder is a sign of how hard a dodgy seller will work to create the impression they are genuine.”

The survey showed around 15% of people believe they have bought a puppy from an irresponsible breeder.

Of those, 45% said they were unable to get any paperwork or information about their puppy, while 25% said they were told they could not meet the mother of the dog they were buying.

Almost one-quarter (23%) said the puppy they bought became unwell or died shortly after they purchased it.

The survey also found one in five people believe they should be able to take their puppy home shortly after they have purchased it, but responsible breeders typically have waiting lists and there can be several months between buying a puppy and actually taking it home.

Picture: Steve Brown. Mike Flynn.