SITE INDEX

The Puppy Bill, Scotland

Thousands of puppies are coming to Scotland every year to be sold on by puppy dealers.

Selling puppies can be a very profitable business, and pure bred pups can be sold for as much as £500 each. Unfortunately, because the dealers are usually in it to make money, it can very often mean that the puppies suffer from serious welfare problems.

There are two issues involved in the trade of puppies: puppy farms and the puppy dealers.

What is a Puppy Farm?
A puppy farm is a large scale unlicensed puppy breeding business, where as many puppies as possible are produced.

What is Puppy Dealing?
Dealing in puppies involves buying or acquiring large numbers of pups that are then sold on to new owners for a profit.

An example of puppy dealing

In a recent case, the police charged a man for cruelty under the Protection of Animals (Scotland) Act 1912 for bringing 49 puppies and 3 kittens into Scotland on the ferry from Ireland. The little puppies and kittens were all crammed into cages and cat carriers and packed tightly into a small car. They were tired, hungry and thirsty, and the cages they were in were all extremely dirty because the animals had been travelling for so long without a break.

Fortunately, the Scottish SPCA was able to care for these puppies and they have all found loving homes.

The Society estimates that the puppy trade in Scotland is worth hundreds of thousands of pounds each year to the dealers.

Proposed new legislation to protect puppies
The Scottish SPCA has been working with the Scottish Parliament on a new Bill to help protect these puppies. The Bill has been lodged by Christine Grahame, MSP.

The Bill will try to ensure that:
· There are records of where the puppies come from and who they are sold to.
· The puppies are not less than eight weeks old when they are sold.
· The puppies are checked by a vet when they arrive in Scotland.
· Dealers keep the puppies for at least seven days before selling them to new homes; this would allow for any signs of illness to show.
· All puppies are microchiped.

Libby Anderson, Scottish SPCA Parliamentary Officer, said: "We are very grateful to Christine Grahame for taking this issue to the Scottish Parliament. The Bill will provide much-needed protection for many of the puppies being traded in Scotland."

Advice when buying a puppy

1.  Only buy a puppy from a responsible breeder or Animal Welfare Organisation.
   
2. Always ask to see the puppy with the mother and the rest of the litter- although no guarantee it is better then nothing
   
3. When buying a pedigree puppy the new owner should receive registration papers and/or other formal identification.
   
   
4. When buying a rescue puppy or dog. make sure it is from a reputable breeder.

For more information, visit the Scottish SPCA website: www.scottishspca.org/campaign

hope-uk@tiscali.co.uk