Dogsey

PUPAID, the anti-puppy farming campaign, is calling on animal lovers to contact their MP to support the forthcoming Parliamentary debate on the sale of puppies and kittens in pet shops.

The debate will take place in the Main Chamber of the House of Commons on September 4and will be the first of its kind to discuss puppy farming, responsible breeding, and rescue pet adoption.

PupAid, which was started by vet Marc Abraham, was granted Parliamentary time after it collected more than 100,000 signatures on its Government e-petition. Its petition calls for a ban on the sale of puppies and kittens without their mothers being present, for example in pet shops, garden centres and ‘puppy supermarkets’, in a move intended to starve the puppy farming industry of business.

The petition has gained more signatures than any other previously on animal welfare; there have been 40,000 e-petitions launched on general subjects and only 23 have reached such a figure.

"I’ve learnt some interesting lessons during the course of this,” said Mr Abraham, who is one of the Kennel Club’s veterinary advisors. "Puppy farming is, generally, an industry little known by the public, but when people find out about it – that dogs are being bred commercially in such conditions – they become very passionate, and this has created an army of new foot soldiers.