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Pet control in the uk

Over the years, the UK has seen an increase in the many breeds of dogs within the country. It has also seen a change in some breeds & also a noticeable mix within the breeding circles.

These changes are related to the ever transforming social world in which we live, whether it be influenced by fashion, peerage, or unfortunately in some cases social decline. Whatever the impact these have made, it appears that there is always someone willing to take advantage. For instance, there has become an increasing number of rogue breeders that are exploiting the demand for lapdogs used as fashion accessories.

They are smuggling puppies into the UK from Eastern Europe. Naturally the welfare of these poor creatures are not the breeder’s first concern. The puppies are bred & kept in awful conditions, transported in nothing more than small cages. Most have not received vaccinations and the majority are inbred. Therefore leading to them being mentally, along with the fact that the puppies are taken away from their mothers after five or six weeks which is way too early. This results in major lifelong physical and psychological diseases, or they will simply die when they are just weeks old.

As such a fashion accessory, for many pedigree dogs the demand is high & sellers are now using reputable & professional looking websites, changing company names to stay ahead of animal welfare groups. In some European countries, it is the norm to buy one from a market, which is not only near on obscene, but it just fuels the trade even further. If only buyers realised the puppies’ background, would they care? There are many reputable dog breeders here in the UK too and please understand this is in no way a reflection on those legitimate businesses!

It has also widely been published by the BBC that there are criminal gangs worldwide that breed dangerous dogs, mostly illegal pit bull terriers, for fighting, guarding & for domestic sales. Their investigation showed that these dogs are allowed to enter the UK with false documentation, from Ireland. As we have devastatingly seen, it is these dogs that have been banned in the UK since 1991, & are responsible for tragic deaths across the country to the present day.

They are bred to fight, but are kept in domestic houses, with children. It can only end in misery & it happens in many of our major cities. Very recently the Kennel Club, has revealed a new non-breed specific dog control law, influenced by the Dangerous Dogs Act. It has since been  presented to the Government for possible approval by the Home Secretary and Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

It contains that it should the norm to control the breeding of all dogs, not just specific breeds. It also states that it should now be prohibited to advertise dogs apart from where there is a certain charity , welfare cause or licensed breeder attached. Controls for imports should be tighter, whether they be live or sperm donations. Most importantly from the responsibility of the owner, they should be abiding by the rules of the DDA, that states:“ A potentially dangerous dog, while on the owner’s property, shall at all times be kept indoors, or in a securely fenced yard from which the dog cannot escape, and intowhich children cannot trespass. A potentially dangerous animal may be off the owner’s premises only if it is restrained by a substantial leash of appropriate length, and if it is under the control of a responsible adult.”