MP hails ‘great step forward’ as puppy smuggling bill clears key stage

A veterinary MP has hailed “a great step forward for animal welfare” after his proposals for new anti-smuggling legislation completed their passage through the House of Commons.

MPs backed the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill, tabled by Liberal Democrat Danny Chambers, following a debate on Friday (4 July).

But Dr Chambers said the measures were in “good hands” as he thanked other MPs, officials and members of the public for their contributions to its progress to date.

He added: “I am so happy today, because no longer will dogs and cats be taken away from their parents at a hugely young age and put in the back of a van, perhaps having been sedated or mutilated, and perhaps while sick, and where they may become overheated.

“That will come to an end now, which is a great step forward for animal welfare.”

The bill introduces long-sought measures including a ban on the importation of puppies, kittens and ferrets that are under six months old, as well as animals that are heavily pregnant.

Dr Chambers said he had seen the “devastating consequences” of puppy smuggling in practice and warned diseases that aren’t currently seen in the UK could become “endemic” without further measures.

Ear cropping

He also revealed he had been contacted by several veterinary colleagues the night before the debate raising concerns about dogs and puppies they had treated whom they suspected had either been smuggled into the UK or had their ears illegally cropped here and now needed further veterinary treatment.

He said: “This is going on now. The great thing about closing that loophole is that there will be no excuse for owning a dog in the UK with cropped ears, and no one will be able to claim that such a dog has been brought in from abroad.”

Later, MPs also backed separate proposals tabled by the Conservative MP Aphra Brandreth which seek to give police greater powers to tackle livestock worrying, including the power to enter premises to seize and detain dogs.

Dr Chambers also spoke in support of that bill, telling the chamber he could not “emphasise enough how necessary this legislation is”.