Videos: Kennel Club tips on buying a dog after puppy farm figures shock (From News Shopper)

Videos: Kennel Club tips on buying a dog after puppy farm figures shock

11:21am Monday 24th September 2012 in News

A SERIES of videos has been released by the Kennel Club after figures raised concerns about an increasing trade in puppy farming.

A study found 20 per cent of puppy owners bought their pet on the internet, a pet shop or a newspaper ad, all outlets used to sell farmed puppies, instead of direct from the breeder or a rescue home.

It revealed 30 per cent had not seen their puppy with its mother, rising to 37 per cent of those who bought their puppy from a newspaper ad, online or a pet shop, while 31 per cent did not see their puppy in its breeding environment, rising to 40 per cent of those buying from newspaper ads, pet shops and online.

The survey found puppies were delivered to 35 per cent of those who bought their pet by mail order, either online or through a pet shop. Nearly a third (31 per cent) of buyers said they picked their pup up from a neutral location such as a motorway service station.

The Kennel Club warned that the fashion for designer cross breeds such as the labradoodle had fuelled a rogue puppy trade, with owners of cross breeds the most likely to have bought online, from pet shops or newspaper ads (25 per cent), and the least likely to have seen their puppy in its home environment.

The poll found that 22 per cent of puppy owners had bought designer cross breeds and 49 per cent had bought these dogs in the last three years.

The organisation said puppy farming remains a poorly regulated and often cruel industry which breeds animals in dirty, cramped conditions from overused breeding bitches with little or no regard for their health or wellbeing.

It said responsible breeders would always show a pup with its mother in its breeding environment to give potential owners the chance to see how their pet could turn out and the conditions in which it was raised.

Kennel Club secretary Caroline Kisko said: "Buying a puppy online means that buyers have no idea of the often appalling conditions the puppies were born into. Sadly, these puppies often grow up with health and behavioural problems which can cost thousands of pounds to treat or which lead to heartbreak if the problems cannot be overcome."

To make its point and educate people on the steps that should be taken when buying a puppy, the Kennel Club has produced three online videos which you can watch below.

Episode 1:

Episode 2:

Episode 3: