New research reveals an alarming lockdown legacy as ‘click-and-collect’ and ‘click and drop’ puppies are now seen as the norm, the Kennel Club warns.
Results include:
> Half of dog owners who ‘click and collected’ a puppy during the pandemic would be happy to do so again, now restrictions have eased – reversing years of campaigning to change damaging puppy buying habits
> A quarter of Brits admit that post-lockdown, it is still ‘normal’ and ‘easier’ to meet a puppy virtually rather than in person before purchase “¯
> Three “¯in “¯five “¯owners “¯who had their dog delivered to their door and nearly half who didn’t see their puppy with its mum said they would buy “¯a dog the same way in the future
> And more than a fifth “¯of new owners admit avoiding crucial doggy ‘life admin’, such as registering with a vet or getting insurance, or not socialising their puppy with other dogs, people “¯or day-to-day situations “¯- mirroring other bad habits picked up during lockdown.
PANDEMIC PETS
The Kennel Club “¯is urging Brits to “¯#BePuppywise by reversing these new habits and ‘virtual dependency’ “¯- and is “¯providing resources “¯and advice, “¯from how to buy a puppy responsibly post-lockdown to “¯training tips for pandemic pets “¯
The research also highlights the consequences of the high demand for puppies during the pandemic – with 36% struggling to find an available pet during lockdown – and a new, ‘dangerous’ virtual puppy buying world, where scammers and rogue breeders can more easily hide behind a screen.
“It’s understandable that many of us may have developed some fairly harmless bad habits during multiple lockdowns, such as ordering one too many takeaways, getting up late or having multiple deliveries to our doors,” said Mark Beazley, chief executive of The Kennel Club. “But when it comes to puppy buying, these bad habits must be reversed.
“Whilst the message about always seeing a puppy with its mum in its home environment seemed to have finally got through and was reinforced in new laws in 2020, this research shows the pandemic’s alarming impact on the way people expect to buy a puppy, with many now seeing virtual puppy buying, ‘click and collect’ or pup deliveries as the norm – taking us backwards in terms of dog welfare and responsible puppy buying.”
