Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to prevent the illegal smuggling of dogs into the UK.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As outlined in our manifesto, the Government is committed to ending puppy smuggling. We will clamp down on unscrupulous traders who prioritise profit over welfare. We are considering the most effective ways to deliver this and will be setting out next steps in due course
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of puppies illegally smuggled into the UK for sale in the last five years.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
By its very nature, we cannot know the true extent of puppy smuggling operations. However, the Animal and Plant Health Agency does hold data on the numbers of interceptions and detentions. In 2023, there were over 500 landings of cats and dogs intercepted at the Port of Dover and found to be non-compliant with the import requirements. Of these, 116 puppies and kittens were quarantined for being below the legally required minimum age for import.
The Government is committed to introducing the most ambitious boost in animal welfare in a generation. As outlined in the manifesto, this includes ending puppy smuggling.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to enforce (a) legislative provisions and (b) border controls relating to puppy smuggling.
Answered by Mark Spencer
The Government supports the Private Members’ Bill, Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill, introduced by the hon. Member for North Devon on restricting the importation and non-commercial movement of pets. The Bill will contain powers that will enable future regulations for commercial and non-commercial movements of pets into the United Kingdom including prohibiting the import of dogs with cropped ears.
We operate one of the most rigorous and robust pet travel checking regimes in Europe. The Animal and Plant Health Agency works collaboratively with Border Force and other operational partners at ports, airports and inland, sharing intelligence to enforce the pet travel rules, disrupt illegal imports, safeguard the welfare of animals and seize non-compliant animals.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing sanctions for cases of puppy smuggling.
Answered by Mark Spencer
In August 2021, the Government launched a consultation on proposed restrictions, including enforcement measures, to the commercial import and non-commercial movement of pets into Great Britain. We are carefully reviewing the feedback gathered from our consultation and wider engagement with stakeholders, and a summary will be published soon.
The Government supports the Private Members’ Bill, Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill, introduced by Selaine Saxby MP on restricting the importation and non-commercial movement of pets. The Bill will contain powers that will enable future regulations, including penalties and offences, for non-compliant commercial and non-commercial movements of pets into the United Kingdom.
Mentions:
1: Ruth Jones (Lab - Newport West and Islwyn) For example, dogs such as French bulldogs have risen in popularity recently, but such types of dogs have - Speech Link
2: Jim Shannon (DUP - Strangford) It has almost been an evolution from house dogs to dogs that we use for hunting.The RSPCA has the equivalent - Speech Link
3: Jim Shannon (DUP - Strangford) In addition, pet smuggling poses risks to both humans and animals. - Speech Link
4: Tim Farron (LD - Westmorland and Lonsdale) Having lost to my wife, we now have dogs. - Speech Link
5: Daniel Zeichner (Lab - Cambridge) In our manifesto, we outlined that we are committed to ending puppy smuggling. - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Selaine Saxby (Con - North Devon) Dogs Trust exposed the cruel puppy smuggling trade in 2014 and has been pushing for changes to the law - Speech Link
2: Thérèse Coffey (Con - Suffolk Coastal) They have been smuggling dogs, cats and ferrets to such an extent that more than 500 instances of non-compliance - Speech Link
3: Seema Malhotra (LAB - Feltham and Heston) That highlighted its decade of work on ending puppy smuggling. - Speech Link
4: Steve Reed (LAB - Croydon North) Cracking down on the illegal smuggling of dogs and puppies was a commitment that appeared in the 2019 - Speech Link
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to bring forward legislative proposals on banning the import of dogs with cropped ears.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Ear cropping has rightly been banned in the UK for over 15 years. Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, it is an offence in England and Wales to carry out a non-exempted mutilation e.g., where a surgical procedure is not carried out for medical purposes, such as the cropping of a dog’s ears. While the practice is illegal in the UK, we recognise that the current legislative framework can be abused by traders who import these dogs from abroad.
As outlined in our manifesto, the Government is committed to ending puppy smuggling. We will clamp down on unscrupulous traders who prioritise profit over welfare. We are considering the most effective ways to deliver this and will be setting out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to ban the import of dogs with cropped ears.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Ear cropping has rightly been banned in the UK for over 15 years. Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, it is an offence in England and Wales to carry out a non-exempted mutilation e.g., where a surgical procedure is not carried out for medical purposes, such as the cropping of a dog’s ears. While the practice is illegal in the UK, we recognise that the current legislative framework can be abused by traders who import these dogs from abroad.
As outlined in our manifesto, the Government is committed to ending puppy smuggling. We will clamp down on unscrupulous traders who prioritise profit over welfare. We are considering the most effective ways to deliver this and will be setting out next steps in due course.
Found: Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill [2023-24]
Found: us renewed hope that puppy smuggling can be ended once and for all.