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Posted: 12th September 2024

Northern Ireland minister backs campaign against puppy smuggling
Paws for Thought uses a collaborative approach to deter rogue breeders.
Andrew Muir said the public’s support would be ‘critical’.

Andrew Muir, the agriculture, environment and rural affairs minister for Northern Ireland, has supported a campaign to tackle the illegal breeding and smuggling of puppies.

Paws for Thought, a multi-agency group, utilises a collaborative approach against the illegal breeding and trafficking of puppies between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

The group was formed by Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in 2020, with the goal of deterring rogue breeders and puppy traffickers. It uses a co-ordinated approach, with routine and targeted checks at ferry terminals and follow-ups at suspected illegal breeding sites.

Rogue breeders have been known to illegally breed puppies in unsafe environments in Northern Ireland, before transporting the puppies through Northern Ireland’s ports to Great Britain. They are then sold to members of the public, who are misled into believing that the puppies are from a reputable breeder.

These puppies are frequently in poor health and have limited life expectancies.

Mr Muir met with members of Paws For Thoughts at Larne Harbour to discuss their ongoing work and how their collaborative approach has been actioned at both Larne Harbour and Belfast Harbour.

He said: “Safeguarding animal health and welfare is one of my key priorities and I am delighted to be here today and hear first-hand about how all the organisations involved in this group have worked collaboratively to disrupt the trafficking of pups through this port and also Belfast Harbour.”

He said that the work of DAERA and its partner agencies was proving successful at the harbours. He celebrated the group’s collaborative approach, which has seen operations managed at the ports and intelligence shared among agencies.

However, Mr Muir and a spokesperson for Paws for Thought said the public’s help would be critical to support their work to tackle the issue. Previously, an alert raised by a member of the public resulted in an illegal consignment of puppies being rescued from a lorry.

A Paws for Thought spokesperson said: “Illegal dog breeding and smuggling of pups is frequently operated by organised crime gangs only interested in making huge profits selling ‘designer’ pups in GB. They have no regard to the welfare of the dogs and many of the pups that are detected and rescued during operations are suffering from extremely painful health conditions.

“Members of the public can, and have been, of huge help in reporting any suspicious activity to the authorities.”

Reports of criminal activity can be made to DAERA, councils, the Police Service of Northern Ireland or the Harbour Police.

Image © Shutterstock



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