North Swindon MP, Justin Tomlinson, has called for tighter regulations to protect puppies & kittens, end puppy farming and ensure local residents do not inadvertently buy an animal without knowing its background.
The debate was secured after 108,000 people signed a petition calling for a ban on puppy farms and for tighter regulation on the sale of pets, including puppies and kittens.
During the debate Justin, who has helped to lead the campaign, re-iterated his call for the mandatory licensing for all breeders, not just those with a larger number of animals, and called for pet shops to be banned from selling puppies. 95% of people would not wish to buy from puppy farmers but each year, more than 900,000 inadvertently do so.
Environment Minister, George Eustice, told MPs that since a new voluntary code on pet sales was introduced by the Government earlier this year, about 100,000 adverts for pets have been removed from the internet and that his Department was working closely with local authorities to strengthen regulations to protect puppies and kittens.
Justin Tomlinson MP said: "This was an important debate and pleased that so many MPs joined me to highlight the issue of puppy farming. Each year, around 900,000 people buy a puppy from a breeder without knowing anything about the animals background. That's why I have been actively backing Pup Aid's "Where's Mum?" campaign to end puppy farming. This campaign has prompted one of the largest responses from constituents in North Swindon and I am pleased that the Minister has confirmed that he will work with local authorities to strengthen protections for puppies and kittens".
TV Vet Marc Abraham, who has led the Pup Aid campaign, said: "Pup Aid's e-petition is proudly the biggest government petition supporting pet welfare of all time, clearly showing that the British public are opposed to puppy farms, and we finally have a chance to change the law cutting out this important supply route – the pet shop. The support of MPs like Justin is vital if we are to ensure that the Government acts. It's so important that potential owners see the puppy interacting with its mother and in conditions that support both its physical and behavioural development; and current legislation must reflect this."
You can watch Justin's speech from yesterday's debate here, or you can read it below:
Justin Tomlinson (North Swindon) (Con): It is an absolute pleasure to follow such a powerful speech, which drew on a long track record on this important issue. I pay tribute to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent South (Robert Flello), as other Members have done, for bringing forward such an incredibly important campaign. It has united Members across the Chamber. This has been one of the most positive and constructive debates I have taken part in. I am delighted that the campaign was highlighted in the Swindon Advertiser, in which the hon. Gentleman featured. We have all been contacted on social media by a great number of people. Interestingly, my Facebook page with the article on the campaign attracted over 60,000 views and 534 shares, which is 10 times more than for anything I have done before. That is no surprise, as 13 million households in this country have pets.
As Members have been naming their pets, I am delighted to say that my wife champions rescuing dogs—I have almost had to put in place a limit. Susie, our 11-year-old rescue dog, which we found on the Golden Oldies website, recently came second in the Lydiard park best rescue dog competition, which means international fame for her.
The mass commercial production of puppies purely for profit and without care for their welfare or happiness is a serious issue.
Pat Glass (North West Durham): I sometimes feel that we do not fully understand who the people are who run those places. There is at least one puppy farm in my constituency, and the people who run it are linked to organised crime. Whether it is the exploiting of people or animals, drugs, or crash for cash, those people are willing to exploit anything, including the most vulnerable animals.
Justin Tomlinson: I thank the hon. Lady for that important intervention. The evidence shows that 95% of people would not wish to buy from puppy farmers, but over 900,000 people a year inadvertently do so. It is a hidden crime.
Nicola Blackwood (Oxford West and Abingdon): We have heard many important speeches on puppy farms, but I hope that it will also be acknowledged that it equally affects kittens, as the motion states. Having been a cat owner all my life—my current cat is called Naughty Cat—I hope that we can also ask for the regulation to be reviewed to take account of the impact on kittens and that owners are made suitably aware of the issue when seeking to buy a new cat.
Justin Tomlinson: I thank my hon. Friend for that important intervention—my cats, Monty and Maggie, will have cheered. They are very proud that they came from properly licensed breeders.
Despite the obvious concerns about animal cruelty, horrific breeding conditions, malnourishment, lack of socialisation, lack of immunisation and de-worming, contracting infectious diseases and puppies being separated from their mothers too early, people unknowingly support puppy farming by purchasing pups from unlicensed breeders, thereby fuelling the puppy farming industry and putting themselves at risk of spending thousands of pounds on a puppy that is doomed to die soon after reaching his or her new home.
We know that one in three purchased pets come through pet shops online, particularly sites such as Gumtree, which was very slow to react to improve standards, or via newspaper adverts. Credit is due to the Pup Aid campaign, set up by Marc Abraham—Marc the vet from television, who is a celebrity—with great support from the Kennel Club, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, the Blue Cross, Cats Protection, Dogs Rescue Protection and the RSPCA. All the heavyweights from the animal welfare world support this incredibly important campaign.
In summary, we want to see mandatory regulation and licensing for all dog breeders in the UK, rather than just those who breed four or more litters a year, and a ban on pet shops selling puppies. The majority of pet shop puppies come from farms, and there is no reason to allow that to continue. There should be stricter adherence to the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973, which demands that no person may keep a breeding establishment for dogs without a licence granted by the proper authority. The granting of a licence requires inspections of breeding practices and premises by a veterinary surgeon or practitioner and an officer of the authority, giving consumers confidence, as supported by 95% of the British public.
We must also ensure that enforcement is consistent, good and that it happens everywhere, because all too often it is patchy at best. There needs to be strict adherence to the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which Pup Aid believes requires secondary legislation. I would not normally call for regulation, but on a matter of such importance, and with great support from the public, I think that this is one of those times when we can push for it. It would repeal any outdated legislation and could be introduced to prohibit the licensing of pet shops or retail outlets that sell puppies or kittens where the mother is not present. However, regulation alone is inadequate. We also need to ensure that enforcement officers are well trained and supported so that there are more frequent and tighter inspections for breeders, giving consumers confidence that they are getting what they believe they are getting.
In conclusion, we need to end the free-for-all of mass breeding of puppies and kittens that prioritises profit over welfare. The public want action and I and other Members across the House fully support that.
