The KC highlights impulse buying during pandemic

Thousands of people sought canine companions during the COVID-19 lockdown, but a quarter of new owners have admitted not doing enough research, according to research by The Kennel Club (KC).

Survey data released by The KC as part of its #BePuppywise campaign provides what it claims is “a state-of-the-nation picture of life in lockdown”.

A total of 41% said they had bought a pandemic puppy to have a lockdown companion, with 27% saying it helped them and their family through the difficult period.

Almost two-thirds (63%) of those buying a puppy believed lockdown was the perfect time to get a puppy, but many missed red flags while making their buying decision.

Mistakes

Among the findings, The KC revealed:

• 27% paid money before seeing their puppy
• 42% didn’t see the puppy’s breeding environment, in real life or via video
• 83% weren’t asked questions by the breeder about their suitability as owners

Meanwhile, one in four (25%) spent less than two hours doing their research, leaving them particularly vulnerable to scams and unable to spot the signs of an unscrupulous breeder. A quarter (24%) of pandemic puppy buyers also thought their puppy could have originated from a puppy farm.

Quick decisions

The KC and other organisations are concerned about the consequences of new owners making quick decisions now lockdown is lifting.

Among some of the other findings from its survey:

• One in five new owners who bought a puppy during the pandemic admit they hadn’t fully considered the long-term commitment or responsibility that comes with having a dog.
• 18% are not sure how they will look after their dog when they return to work, with 52% saying they had taken this into consideration before getting their puppy.
• 22% are concerned about their puppy’s socialisation and behaviour due to lockdown restrictions, including when meeting other people and dogs. Less than half (45%) researched puppy training before getting their dog.
• 15% are now worried about whether they can afford their dog and associated costs – such as insurance, food and vet bills – and 34% said they didn’t have pet insurance.
• 15% agree, in hindsight, they weren’t ready to get a puppy.

‘Concerns’

Bill Lambert, head of health and welfare at The KC, said: “Our dogs are certainly helping us through the pandemic, providing a welcome and happy distraction as COVID-19 causes anxiety, suffering and disruption across the nation.

“However, we do have concerns about those puppies that may have been bought on impulse, without owners doing their homework on how or where to get a dog responsibly, or fully realising a puppy is a new family member for life, not a short-term commodity.

“These hasty decisions not only play into the hands of the opportunistic scammers and puppy farmers operating during the pandemic, but can also sadly result in puppies being rehomed if owners haven’t carefully considered how their dog will fit their ‘normal’ life in the current climate.”

Video

The KC has produced the following video with Dragons’ Den entrepreneur and The KC Assured Breeder Jenny Campbell aimed at raising some of the issues new owners should be wary of.