A number of constituents have contacted me about puppy smuggling.

I have joined calls for an end to puppy smuggling, urging the Government to take action to end the cruel practice.

Animal welfare is incredibly important issue to many of my constituents, as I know from my postbag, and as a dog owner myself I am deeply concerned at what puppies endure in coming to the UK. Dogs Trust has done good work to unveil this horrendous trade that has been growing over the past few years. The findings of their reports are shocking and I am proud to support the case to bring an end to puppy smuggling with the introduction of tighter controls and the need for much stronger penalties to deter this horrific crime.

Following a recent event, Paula Boyden, Dogs Trust Veterinary Director said:

“The findings of our fourth report into the puppy smuggling trade have revealed undeniable evidence that illegal importers remain undeterred. We believe this has only scratched the surface of the full extent of the problem. The lack of visual checks at ports and paltry penalties for those caught smuggling puppies are simply no deterrent and highlight an urgent need for our pet travel legislation to be redrawn.

We hope our virtual reality experience has brought to life the terrifying experience a puppy faces when it falls victim to this trade. We thank Fiona Bruce MP for her part in highlighting the urgency of this issue. We want to see the government acting on our recommendations now to stop this horrifying trade.”