Kennel Club’s warning over ‘devastating’ dog welfare crisis

The Kennel Club has warned of “an impending welfare crisis of devastating proportions”, which it said is due to the surge in rogue dog breeding and the spiralling cost of living.

New research has indicated a three-fold increase in the number of puppies bought virtually during the past five years, with more than a third of them dying or becoming ill before their first birthday.

The findings emerged from the organisation’s latest Be Puppywise survey, as it urged would-be owners to be vigilant for signs of potential illegal breeding.

‘Damning portrait’

The Kennel Club’s chief executive, Mark Beazley, fears huge numbers of puppies could now be at risk as a result of the dual challenges.

He said: “Thousands of puppies and dog owners are suffering and this research really does show a damning portrait of our puppy-buying nation.”

Survey

The warning follows a survey of around 3,000 dog owners, which was carried out by Censuswide on the club’s behalf. It found that 22% of new puppies become sick or die before their first birthday, rising to 36% when they have only been seen virtually before they are purchased.

Puppies bought virtually were found to have twice as many trips to a vet in their first year for non-routine checks or treatment than those who met their owners before purchase, while a third of them also developed unexpected behavioural issues.

Among the owners, 23% said they had collected their puppy from a neutral location, which can be a sign of hiding its true breeding conditions – while 31% admitted they had paid for their puppy before even seeing it in real life.

Costs

Around 40% of respondents who bought their puppies virtually said they are now worried they can no longer afford the cost of keeping their pets, while emotional and financial hardship was reported in 28% and 24% of cases respectively.

One in three participants said they did not know the signs of a puppy farm, while a quarter said they now suspected their breeder had been operating illegally.

Almost three-quarters of the owners surveyed were not asked about their suitability for owning a puppy, and 44% said they had bought puppies in response to adverts containing suspicious phrases such as “ready to go now” or “puppy delivery available”.

‘Disaster’

The Kennel Club said it fears “an unprecedented welfare disaster” unfolding as a result of the crisis and is worried that rogue breeders could now even be dumping puppies that they can’t sell.

Mr Beazley said: “The virtual puppy-buying habits that were normalised during lockdown – which have enabled shady breeders to thrive – have combined in a perfect and terrible storm with the cost of living crisis.

“This means that thousands of people who have been duped are now struggling to care for dogs with health and behavioural problems, who are sadly the victims of this unprecedented set of circumstances.”

Responsibility

The Kennel Club is offering a range of online support tools to help people who are thinking of buying a puppy to source one responsibly. It has also urged responsible breeders to join its Assured Breeders programme.

Mr Beazley added: “Puppy buyers should be cautious of adverts using words that try to lure you in with promises of ‘rare’ or ‘exotic’ dogs, or a quick sale, as a good breeder, such as a Kennel Club Assured Breeder, will always ask questions about your suitability for dog ownership, and you will often need to be prepared to go on a waiting list.

“You should see the puppy interacting with its mum, where it was bred and reared in real life, so clever guises, marketing ploys or tactics to disguise a puppy’s true back-ground to simply make a huge profit, are exposed.

“For anyone thinking about getting a dog, please avoid this heartache and incredible suffering, and make sure you find a responsible breeder, who absolutely prioritises your dog’s welfare above anything else.”

More details of the Kennel Club’s campaign can be found at thekennelclub.org.uk/bepuppywise