An increasing numbers of mass produced dogs with health and genetic problems are being smuggled into the UK from Ireland, the Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA) has said.
Registered establishments are breeding scores of puppies in unsuitable conditions before transporting them overseas to be sold at a large profit, said DSPCA spokeswoman Gillian Bird.*
An estimated 30,000 puppies with a value of between €15-€20 million are being illegally smuggled from Ireland into the UK each year, according to the DSPCA.
"People aren't fussy about the parentage of these puppies so you've got genetic problems, health problems and dogs, who in some situations, have never seen the light of day or have never interacted with human," said Ms Bird.
“Here in Ireland a pup might sell for €200/€300 online but in the UK, if the owner says they’ve come from a good breeder, you might get £700 (€825) per puppy.”
Under the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010, which came into force at the start of 2012, anyone keeping six or more female dogs, which are more than six months old and capable of breeding, must apply to the local authority to register as a dog-breeding establishment.
Regulations introduced last year state that all dogs must be microchipped and registered on an approved database before leaving their place of birth.
Ms Bird said there was no cap for the number of dogs that can be registered by farms and pups were often smuggled out of the country with fake or unregistered microchips.
Department of the Environment data shows there is an average of one full-time dog warden employed by each local authroity in the State, who is tasked with carrying out annual inspections of registered dog breeding establishments.
“You can go into the local council and say I want to register 1,000 dogs and they’ll send an inspector to check your facility complies with legislation. But from a welfare point of view, where are these puppies going to be rehomed?” said Ms Bird.
“There shouldn’t be a situation in Ireland where we are mass producing puppies . . . This is farming on a huge scale.”
No food
Ms Bird was speaking after 14 puppies were seized at Dublin Port on Wednesday when the driver failed to produce valid documentation. They were being kept in two metal containers that were in the boot of a vehicle bound for the UK.
The seven cavachons and seven yorkshire terriers/tea-cup terriers, some of which were only six weeks old, did not have access to food, water or fresh air. It is understood sale of the puppies could have yielded some €17,000.
The average age for a puppy to be taken from its mother is between eight and nine weeks. It must be at least 15 weeks old before travelling to the UK, said the DSPCA.
The seizure was the fourth of its kind in the last three weeks. Twenty Irish-bred puppies and one female dog – including Shih Tzus, Bichon Frises, cavalier King Charles spaniels, Pugs and Cocker Spaniels – were seized in Scotland last week.
The rise in seizures follows Garda involvement in Operation Delphin – a joint endeavour by animal protection officers in Scotland and Ireland, customs, ferry operators and other UK and Irish authorities.
Dr Andrew Kelly, chief executive of the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA), said last week he feared the recent discoveries were just the tip of the iceberg.
“It is clear that some dog breeders in Ireland are intent on ignoring the law to maximise profit,” he said.
“We would also like to appeal anyone who is looking for a dog to act responsibly, adopt don’t buy. There are many rescue dogs looking for good homes around Ireland and the UK, please consider giving a home to one of those dogs instead of buying a puppy that likely came from a puppy farm in Ireland.”
*Article amended at 11:40am on August 8th, 2016
