Local MP and devoted dog owner, Andrew Selous, was glad to back new legislation which will close existing loopholes exploited by unscrupulous breeders and traders to illegally smuggle cats and dogs into the UK.
Since 2012, the Pet Travel Scheme, created to make it easy for owners to take their family pets on holiday with them, has been abused by unscrupulous traders. The Bill will strengthen the Pet Travel Scheme to ensure that no one is able to fraudulently import animals for sale under the guise of being an owner travelling with their own pets.
Measures in the Bill, which will be enacted through primary legislation, include reducing the number of animals that can travel under the non-commercial rules from five per person to five per vehicle or three per foot or air passenger. The Bill also ensures that when an authorised person carries out a non-commercial movement of a dog, cat, or ferret, it may only take place within five days of the owner's movement.
Measures in the Bill, which will be enacted through secondary legislation, include introducing prohibitions that restrict the commercial and non-commercial movement into Great Britain of puppies and kittens under six months, dogs and cats with nonexempted mutilations, for example, dogs with cropped ears or docked tails, declawed cats, and heavily pregnant dogs and cats who are more than 42 days pregnant.
South West Bedfordshire MP, Andrew Selous said,
“I am glad that the Government is supporting this vital Bill and committed to its swift passage to ensure safeguard the welfare of thousands of puppies, dogs, cats and ferrets that come into Great Britain from overseas each year. As a dog owner myself I know how important this legislation is to pet owners and lovers and I would like to thank the tireless campaigning from the pet charities who have shared their views about this Bill. I hope that they are reassured by the measures outlined in the Bill which will stop this cruel trade by closing loopholes exploited by unscrupulous commercial traders.
“We really are a nation of pet lovers, and this legislation will ensure that UK is leading the world when it comes to animal welfare.”