Warning over puppy purchases

Nottinghamshire County Council’s trading standards team has the powers to place an imported dog, cat or ferret into quarantine for 21 days if it has not been micro-chipped, vaccinated against rabies or has pet passport under current UK laws.

Quarantine expenses can be in excess of £500 and if the owner is not prepared to pay these fees, the animal could face being exported back to the country of origin or the pet being euthanized.

A family purchased a St Bernard puppy for £750 from a West Midlands based agent which originated from Eastern Europe. They contacted the council after they found out one of the puppies from the same litter had been quarantined in the south of England after failing to meet the pet passport requirements.

Unsuspecting buyers may not be aware that the dog has been imported into the country illegally.

Contact the Citizen’s Advice service on 08454 04 05 06 or visit www.adviceguide.org.uk

The Council can become aware of such cases when an illegally imported dog has been taken to the vets by the new owner and the vet has become concerned that the paperwork is not genuine or the animal has not had the required vaccinations.

Potential dog buyers should consider the following advice:

• be suspicious if the seller cannot show the puppy with its mother and litter mates

• do not agree to have the puppy delivered or collected from a meeting point

• never pay for the puppy in advance

• ask to see the pet passport and vaccination documentation if the dog is believed to be from outside the UK

• buy from a Kennel Club registered breeder to reduce the risk of buying an illegally imported dog

• seek advice from a vet before purchasing an imported puppy.

Councillor Glynn Gilfoyle, Chair of Nottinghamshire County Council’s Community Safety Committee, said: “This innocent family has been caught out by the breeder and have not only acted very responsibly to protect public safety, they have also decided to save the brother of their puppy by paying for his quarantine costs.

“Puppies illegally imported into the UK are often sold through online or newspaper adverts and are accompanied by incomplete or forged documentation which leads buyers to believe they have been imported legally.

“Our biggest concern is the risk of such animals having rabies when the UK is currently a rabies-free zone.

“Buying an illegally imported dog can be an expensive mistake for the owner not to mention the emotional upset of having the puppy taken into quarantine.”

For more information contact the Citizen’s Advice consumer service on 08454 04 05 06 or visit www.adviceguide.org.uk