Crown Office in warning to parents over illegal puppy farm Christmas presents

Parents are being urged not to turn puppy love at Christmas into a financial pipeline for criminal gangs.

Millions of pounds are spent every year on trafficked dogs bought at unauthorised puppy farms or online.

Sales are expected to spike in the run-up to the festive period amid concerns that buyers could be getting duped into helping to fund gang-related crime in Scotland.

Now the Crown Office and the Scottish SPCA have issued a joint stark warning to all those tempted into buying a puppy online from unlicensed sellers – where some designer breeds can fetch as much as £3,000.

Kenny Donnelly, deputy crown agent for serious casework at the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), said: “We know that many parents may be considering buying a puppy for their children at this time of year as a Christmas present.

“We would urge people to carry out proper research and only purchase puppies from authorised breeders.

“Organised crime gangs continue to spread their malign influence into illegal puppy farming and use the huge profits they accrue from it to inflict widespread harm on communities throughout Scotland.

“These gangs are involved in the distribution of illegal drugs and money laundering.

“It is critically important that anyone considering buying a puppy do so from legitimate dog breeders in order to avoid unintentionally supporting this cruel and illegal trade which exploits pets and causes them terrible suffering.

“Consequently, we seriously urge people to rely on authorised breeders.”

In the past five years, the Scottish SPCA have responded to 3,340 calls connected to puppy farms – an average of 668 a year.

This year so far there have been 163 calls, but Scottish SPCA officials say there is still an ongoing need for parents to only buy puppies from licensed breeders.

The animal welfare charity said many pets purchased from illegal puppy farms later suffer severe health problems and either cost their owners huge vet bills or are too ill to survive their first few months.

Laura McIntyre, head of rescue and prevention at the Scottish SPCA, said: “Although the low-welfare trade in puppies slowed due to the ending of lockdown and the cost-of-living crisis, we know that unscrupulous breeders are still out there targeting unsuspecting members of the public.

“We work in partnership through this multi-agency taskforce and our special investigations units undertake intelligence-led missions to target those involved with illegal puppy farming.

“Smuggled pups often look fine when they are purchased, but problems will begin to show at a later stage.

“Our message to the public is do not buy online or from someone where it is impossible to verify where the dog is coming from.

“The only way this will disappear, and people stop profiting at the expense of these dogs, if the public demands it stops.

“Anyone considering buying a puppy should research the potential breeder carefully, as unauthorised breeding can have a significant impact on the welfare of dogs.

“If you have purchased a puppy who shows any signs of illness or distress take them to a vet immediately.”