Illegal imports of puppies

Re: Illegal imports of puppies

Hannah Wynne Richards — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 09:46:52 GMT

Micheal You may be happy to turn a blind eye to crime I'm definitely not

Wynne

Re: Illegal imports of puppies

Martin Atkinson — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 09:40:57 GMT

[quote user="James Laidlaw"][quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]

[quote user="Charlotte Marshall"]Perhaps we should be asking more questions about where puppies have come from when we first see them?[/quote]

It's not our job to police these things. Not in my remit. Customs should be checking the vehicles properly stopping the imports.

[/quote] I didn't red star, but I completely disagree.

[/quote] The attitude that 'it is not my job' is one reason why puppy farming is so rife in the UK irregardless of the illegal European imports. Those vets who support puppy farms and dealers by vaccinating their progeny with the excuse that 'someone has to do it', or 'I want to try and change the system from within', are talking b*ll*cks and merely profiteering, and IMO are almost as low as the scum that perpetrates this despicable trade. Maybe we can't stop it completely but if the veterinary profession as a whole made a stand and actively discouraged these scumbags it may reduce the problem. If every vet reported suspected illegal imports and the pups were seized the idiots who buy them may finally get the message and the dealers will realise it is not worth their while. Did I just see a pig fly past the window?

Re: Illegal imports of puppies

Bob Russell — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 09:24:14 GMT

We have a very nice puppy registered with paperwork where the age does not quite fit but it is not my place to police it. The rules were changed and they are being abused.

Unless it is blatant I have chosen not to get the diary out when these come in.

Daft to remove the controls and only a matter of time before things go wrong.

Idiotic move to remove the blood test requirement. Not sure the six month wait is required.

The profession needs to take the lead on educating the public. I am preparing an article for the local paper!

Re: Illegal imports of puppies

Thomas Johnson — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 09:17:14 GMT

I usually ask clients who bring in a new puppy how long they've had it and where they got it from. Mostly because it's useful to know what sort of environment the pup was brought up in, and most owners like to talk about how they got their puppy, so I hope I'd pick up if it had been imported illegally. It's not our job to police it, but if I know the law has been broken, and particularly with the risk of importing rabies, then I would report it to the appropriate authorities, as I would with any other crime I was aware of.

Re: Illegal imports of puppies

James Laidlaw — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 09:10:16 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]

[quote user="Charlotte Marshall"]Perhaps we should be asking more questions about where puppies have come from when we first see them?[/quote]

It's not our job to police these things. Not in my remit. Customs should be checking the vehicles properly stopping the imports.

[/quote] I didn't red star, but I completely disagree. I think the onus to stop this happening is with border security/customs, but we should be vigilant to monitor and detect suspicious imports when possible and let the right people know. It doesn't take much to ask where a puppy or kitten came from, and at the very least try to educate clients who don't understand the risks of buying illegal imports or animals from puppy farms.

Re: Illegal imports of puppies

Dagmar Steele — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 08:55:31 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]

[quote user="Dagmar Steele"]The thing I would be worried about in the UK is that (I am assuming this!) not as many cats and dogs are vaccinated against rabies as on the continent and that you have this huge urban fox population in London. In my opinion this is a bomb waiting to explode, I have seen pics of them being found asleep in beds...[/quote] Most of the stuff about foxes sleeping in beds is media hype and probably not true but you're right about the potential time bomb of rabid urban foxes. It is rather ironic that a German living in Germany seems to be more concerned with this problem than anyone here.

[/quote]

Maybe that's because I'm old enough to remember how things were when we still had rabies in foxes. I grew up with loads of warnings not to touch any tame behaving animal I don't know - for a reason!

Re: Illegal imports of puppies

Martin Atkinson — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 08:47:09 GMT

Re: Illegal imports of puppies

Dagmar Steele — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 08:24:48 GMT

we do get illegal imports from Eastern Europe all the time in Germany. It's a huge issue because of the poor condition most of the puppies are in (Parvo, distemper, loads of other infections). So far we didn't have major problems with them being infected with rabies. The last one carrying rabies dates a few years back and was smuggled in from Croatia. The thing I would be worried about in the UK is that (I am assuming this!) not as many cats and dogs are vaccinated against rabies as on the continent and that you have this huge urban fox population in London. In my opinion this is a bomb waiting to explode, I have seen pics of them being found asleep in beds...

I would report them as I've seen all the suffering that these poor pups go through. The more difficult it is to market them, the less come in!

Re: Illegal imports of puppies

Michael Woodhouse — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 00:15:36 GMT

[quote user="Charlotte Marshall"]Perhaps we should be asking more questions about where puppies have come from when we first see them?[/quote]

It's not our job to police these things. Not in my remit. Customs should be checking the vehicles properly stopping the imports.