The British Veterinary Association has renewed its calls for tighter restrictions on pet travel following the Government’s response to the Efra Select Committee report on tackling illegal puppy smuggling.
One specific recommendation, made by BVA in its submissions to the inquiry, called for the minimum age that puppies can travel to the UK to be increased from the current 15 weeks. This would reduce the likelihood of puppies being brought to the UK using pet travel rules with the intention to sell them, as they would no longer be coming in at a saleable age.
But in response, Lord Goldsmith stated that the Government had ‘no immediate’ plans to change its pet travel arrangements.
BVA president Daniella Dos Santos, who gave oral evidence to the committee, said: “This is such a missed opportunity for meaningful action to clamp down illegal puppy smuggling and improve disease controls. It’s far too easy for organised criminals to bring puppies into the UK for sale by abusing the current pet travel controls.”
