Ministers urged to tackle ‘puppy profiteering’

An animal protection charity has called on the Scottish Government to take action to tackle “puppy profiteering”.

Onekind said it had investigated legal breeders and found dogs kept squalid conditions covered in faeces.

The charity’s new report, Scotland’s Puppy Profiteers, examines both largescale breeders and illegal puppy trafficking and dealing in Scotland.

Hotspots for puppy trafficking into Britain include the Republic of Ireland and Eastern Europe, the report found, with huge profits to be made on selling certain breeds in the UK.

Anyone in Scotland breeding more than five litters of puppies for sale requires a local authority licence. The charity has identified a total of 97 licensed breeders across the country.