UK announces tougher rules on puppy trade

Tough new rules to control back-street puppy breeders were announced Sunday by Britain's animal welfare minister.

The move comes as leading dog charities prepare to receive thousands of puppy dogs bought as Christmas presents, but unwanted and abandoned within days of being "unwrapped."

The Dog's Trust says they dealt with thousands unwanted dogs in the weeks after Christmas last year.

Excuses given to the Dog's Trust for wanting to hand over unwanted pets have astonished staff.

One owner said the pup "wagged its tail too much," another that it "ate too much food."

Meanwhile a government consultation is seeking to strengthen the regulations around dog breeding and pet sales to make it easier to take action against irresponsible breeders, particularly smaller breeding establishments - known as "backstreet breeders" - which supply thousands of dogs to Britain's families each year.

Animal Welfare Minister George Eustice said: "We are a nation of dog lovers but it is crucial that puppies are cared for properly. We are aiming to reform Britain's licensing regime so that smaller puppy breeding establishments must abide by the same regulations and licensing rules as bigger breeders."

"We are also reviewing other animal related licensed activities such as pet sales to address problems associated with the growing trend for internet sales that can contribute to impulse buying," Eustice said.

It could mean a breeding license being needed when three or more litters of puppies are produced in a year.

Claire Horton, CEO of London's famous Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, said: "We have long recognised the cruel problem of backstreet breeding in Britain. The government's proposals are extremely encouraging, having listened to the important calls we have made in our nationwide campaign to end this unacceptable practice."

Reducing the number of litters a breeder can produce in a year, without a licence, will ensure that more breeders will be brought under the scope of regulation, which we believe will protect the lives and welfare of more of the vulnerable dogs who really need it," he said.

For the first time, the consultation will also clarify that online retailers selling puppies should be treated in the same way as high street pet shops by local authorities - meaning they must abide by the same licensing and welfare regulations.

This year the government's Department for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra) has worked with welfare charities to remove over 130,000 adverts for pets where there were concerns about the welfare of the animal.

The plea to families aiming to buy a pet this week from animal charities is: a dog is for life, not just for Christmas! Endit