Campaign to help ensure people buy a puppy safely
The Scottish Government has launched a drive to curb online puppy sales and boycott illegal traders.
It comes in response to research by the Kennel Club, which reveals almost half of people who purchased a puppy in 2019 did so online (45 per cent), despite the risk of buying from illegal breeders.
The Buy a Puppy Safely campaign calls on potential puppy buyers to #LookBeyondCute and make three ‘pup checks’, which are:
- look for the puppy’s mother
- look for paperwork such as microchipping and vaccination certificates
- walk away if something doesn’t seem right.
The first phase of the campaign launched last year and contributed to a 37 per cent rise in advice calls about suspected puppy farms to the Scottish SPCA.
“Puppy farms breed misery, and that misery is being fuelled by the huge demand for puppies and facilitated through online adverts and sellers,” explained rural affairs minister Mairi Gougeon.
“Last year’s campaign contributed to a 37 per cent increase in the number of advice calls about suspected puppy farms to the Scottish SPCA’s animal helpline. As people increasingly look online to buy a puppy, it is more important than ever that they know how to spot the signs of illegal dealers.
“There are key checks that can help ensure you are buying safely. These include meeting the puppy’s mother with her litter and ensuring all the correct paperwork is in place. If something doesn’t feel right, walk away and report your concerns to the Scottish SPCA.”
Companies marketing medicines for small pets exempt from authorisation must submit their annual return to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) by 30 November 2026.
