Pets bought online likely to be ill, says research

Almost a third of puppies bought online die or fall ill within their first year, a charity has warned.

Research found 18% of people who bought their pet directly over the internet after finding an advert online said their dog had been sick before its first birthday, with the illness continuing throughout its life or until its death.

A further 13% said their puppy had fallen ill in the first 12 months but went on to recover.

The survey, carried out by the Kennel Club, comes after the government announced plans last month to ban the sale of puppies and kittens by pet shops and other commercial dealers.

The charity warned that puppies were being put at risk by a culture of “instant gratification”.

The poll of 2,176 dog owners also found that one in three people do less than two hours of research when buying a puppy, while 12% of people – equating to roughly a million dogs – pay for their puppy before they have even seen it.

An estimated 630,000 puppies among a dog population of nine million were ordered online and delivered directly to people’s homes.

Last month, the government announced plans to help reduce serious health problems and socialisation issues which afflict pets kept in poor conditions by unscrupulous, profit-driven breeders.

Anyone buying or adopting a pet less than six months old will have to deal directly with the breeder or a rescue centre under the proposed ban.