Battersea Dogs & Cats Home is backing a campaign to ban the sale for profit of puppies and kittens in pet shops.

The charity, which takes in around 9,000 unwanted and abandoned animals every year, has joined forces with vet and animal welfare campaigner Marc Abraham to ask the Government to change its current legislation and prevent puppies and kittens being sold without their mother being present.

Mr Abraham is the founder of Pup Aid, a charity which campaigns against the puppy farming industry.

Claire Horton, chief executive at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, said: "Battersea wholeheartedly supports Marc Abraham's campaign for a better future for Britain's dogs and cats. Over half of the dogs taken in by our three rescue centres are under three years of age and we are always concerned about how people are being sold these dogs in the first place.

"Sadly many pet shops will put profit before animal welfare so we're joining the call for a ban on the sale of puppies and kittens in pet shops. Such a move will also safeguard new owners, giving them greater confidence that their new pet is healthy and properly socialised."

Mr Abraham said: "On behalf of my Pup Aid team we're absolutely thrilled that Battersea have joined the fight against the UK's cruel puppy farming industry and support a ban on the sale for profit of puppies in pet shops.

"When choosing a dog you should always consider adopting from rescue, or if buying a pup, always ask to see it interacting with its mother.

"With only these two options available to prospective dog owners it would be extremely difficult to end up with a puppy farmed pup, this cruel trade would be starved of business, and better still, more rescue pets would find their loving forever homes."

As well as improving the welfare and future prospects of puppies and kittens, the Pup Aid campaign aims to bring an end to mass breeding of dogs, prioritising profit over welfare of puppies and their parents.

Battersea encourages MPs to join in a Parliamentary debate on September 4 which will highlight the plight of these animals and move towards a greater crackdown on unethical sellers and irresponsible breeders.