Kept in squalid cages in Eastern Europe, the puppies on the way to Britain as Christmas presents
THEIR big eyes and adorable expressions make them an irresistible present for children on Christmas day.
But the tale behind these sweet puppy f aces i s one of horror.
These dogs are just some of the thousands being smuggled illegally into the UK in squalid conditions – often missing crucial vaccinations – to be sold on to unsuspecting families for a huge profit.
A charity i nvestigation has revealed how both corruption and ‘ shocking’ animal welfare run through the heart of the puppy trade.
Dogs Trust said huge numbers of newborn puppies – below the legal age for transportation – are being smuggled in from eastern Europe due to a lack of border checks, and warned Britons to be cautious if they buy a pet from abroad this Christmas.
After being brought to the UK in appalling and cramped conditions, the dogs are sold on to well-meaning families, who believe they have
Spread diseases to family pets
been legally imported and undergone rigorous health checks.
Pet dealers admitted to Dogs Trust investigators on camera that they can make up to £100,000 a year.
Popular breeds such as French bulldogs and pugs are regularly advertised for sale online from around £750 each.
The dealer will pay roughly £200 to buy each dog and arrange its transport to Britain, meaning they can make £550 per sale.
Investigators said that four out of five vets they approached in Lithuania admitted to falsifying pet passports or vaccination records, or said they would be willing to.
Meanwhile, nine of the 11 breeders and dealers they tracked down in the country said they would sell underage puppies to the UK, or already had done. Dogs often travel more than a thousand miles, and many are unvaccinated – meaning they risk spreading diseases such as rabies to other family pets.
The growth in dog trading was triggered by a relaxation of the pet passport rules in 2012, allowing owners to travel with their animals without a lengthy quarantine period. But UK border control insiders told the Mail that the scheme is being widely abused to import huge shipments of dogs.
The number of declared puppies entering Britain from Lithuania increased by 780 per cent between 2011 and 2013, while from Hungary the figure rose 663 per cent.
And this does not include the thousands of puppies thought to go undeclared at the borders.
Paula Boyden, veterinary director at Dogs Trust, warned last night that the trade will only increase in the run-up to Christmas as dogs are bought as gifts. ‘The risk of unknowingly bringing a puppy from eastern Europe with diseases and behavioural problems into the home is very real,’ she said.
‘Buyers must be vigilant, as a puppy brought in from eastern Europe could cost far more than expected.’ If the authorities identify a pet as having been imported illegally, it is the new owners – not the dealers – who are forced to pay vet fees and quarantine costs.
Dogs Trust said this has led to puppies being abandoned when families cannot afford the bills.