APHA does not hold specific data on the total number of puppies illegally smuggled into Great Britain each year.

APHA seized 691 puppies in 2021 and 264 puppies in 2022 which landed in Dover and were not compliant with our import requirements.

The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill includes measures to tackle puppy smuggling. The Bill was re-introduced to the House of Commons in May 2022.

The Department does not hold data on the number of dogs euthanised each year.

We committed in the Action Plan for Animal Welfare to seek greater assurance that alternatives to euthanasia are explored before a healthy dog is put down.

In 2021, we worked closely with the veterinary profession to develop an approach that works for all parties. Following these discussions, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons agreed to incorporate the principle of scanning before euthanasia into the guidance that underpins their Code of Professional Conduct, which applies to all veterinary surgeons practising in the UK.

The Code requires veterinary surgeons to scan for a microchip in dogs prior to euthanasia where, in their professional judgement, it is not necessary to put the dog down on animal health or welfare grounds.

In addition, we recently held a consultation on proposed changes to the Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2015 to consider whether a microchip database record should include a ‘back-up support’ field to record the contact details of a person who may offer the animal an alternative to euthanasia in certain circumstances. We are currently analysing the consultation responses and will issue our response to the consultation later this year.

A new EU Pet Travel Regulation (576/2013) came into force on 29 December 2014 and introduced changes designed to improve the security of the scheme and traceability of the pet passport. These changes include a requirement that pets must be at least 12 weeks old when they are vaccinated against rabies. This means that, under the new EU rules, pets must be at least 15 weeks old to enter the UK.

Responsibility for stopping the illegal movement of puppies begins in the country where they are born, where the authorities have a duty to ensure that the welfare of pets intended for sale is safeguarded and that EU pet passports are issued correctly. Following a recent report by the Dogs Trust ‘The Puppy Smuggling Scandal’ published in November 2014, the Chief Veterinary Officer wrote to the authorities in the countries highlighted in the report and follow up action has been taken. Defra officials will continue to act on reports of abuse of the pet travel scheme.

The Government considers that local authorities have the necessary powers to ensure the welfare of dogs at licensed dog breeding establishments under existing laws in England. In addition, my department wrote to all local authorities in England reminding them that the criteria for deciding if a dog breeder needs to be licensed is whether they are in the business of breeding and selling dogs, regardless of the number of litters bred or sold in a twelve month period.

The Home Office does not hold records of animals released from laboratories, returned and re-homed, under the European Directive 2010/63/EU, on its files.

Records are kept locally at the licensed establishment to be made available to Home Office Inspectors on request.

A comprehensive risk assessment carried out in 2011prior to the UK’s harmonisation with the EU Pet Travel Scheme concluded that the risk of an animal with rabies coming into the UK is very low and the risk of rabies being passed from a pet to a person is lower still. The details of this assessment are available at:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animal-diseases/a-z/rabies/

This risk assessment considered how the risk of rabies introduction from all countries would change based on (a) where the rules are followed with 100% compliance and (b) where the rules are followed with varying degrees of less than 100% compliance. The risk assessment also incorporated both intra-EU and third country movements and its conclusions are valid for animals moving under both the EU Pet Travel Scheme and commercial movements as the risk mitigation measures are the same for both categories.

Although there is interest in the concept of using dogs for medical detection purposes, there is not yet an established level of evidence to support the systematic application of their use within the national health service at this time.

[holding answer 23 April 2013]: Under the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973 and the Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999, local authorities have powers to enter and inspect licensed dog breeding establishments. Under the Breeding of Dogs Act 1991, local authorities have powers to enter and inspect dog breeding establishments that they suspect should have a valid licence and are unlicensed. In addition, under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, local authorities have powers to investigate allegations of poor welfare or cruelty in unlicensed dog breeding establishments.

It is therefore for local authorities to assess the welfare standards of dog breeding establishments and decide what action, if any, to take.