Pet shops could be banned from selling puppies, claim MPs
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The sale of dogs in pet shops should be banned to help stamp out the cruel trade in puppy farming, MPs have said.
It’s one of a series of radical changes to animal welfare laws proposed by a Commons committee.
In a hard-hitting report, they call for a complete ban on the sale of dogs in pet shops, increased penalties for animal cruelty and tougher rules on importing puppies and kittens.
The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs committee says there should be a ban on selling animals through third parties such as pet shops and animals should only be bought from licensed breeders or approved rehoming organisations.
It also wants laws updated so anyone breeding two litters or more per year must be licensed and a ban on importing dogs aged six months or younger.
The MPs also call for animal welfare classes to be included in the national curriculum and the maximum penalty for animal cruelty increased from six months to five years.
Other recommendations include making it compulsory that all internet pet advertisements should include the registration or licence number of the seller and new laws to ensure dogs are not genetically deformed.
The MPs also say the RPSCA should no longer carry out private prosecutions as a first resort and it should be for the Crown Prosecution Service to take the lead on pursuing animal cruelty cases.
The committee says the puppy market is “extremely profitable” with as many 1.9 puppies sold each year in a market worth between £100m and £300m.
But the MPs say the industry “works in the dark” with “unlicensed breeders able to dominate the market.”
Last year the RSPCA investigated 143,004 animal cruelty complaints in 2015, including: 81,146 cruelty incidents against dogs; 33,844 against cat and 15,965 incidents against horses.
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