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EmailIphone Application    Posted: 19th May 2016
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Scotland cracks down on puppy farmers
puppies
"Unfortunately, the puppy trade is big business in Scotland, with thousands of dogs being brought into the country each year".
Operation Delphin aims to tackle illegal trafficking

The Scottish SPCA is heading up a multi-agency operation to stop puppies being illegally trafficked into Scotland. For the first time, ferry firm Stena Line, Police Scotland, HMRC and several animal welfare charities are working together to tackle the problem.

Operation Delphin was prompted by a BBC investigation, which revealed Stena Line's Belfast to Cairnryan service was being used to traffic puppy farmed dogs into Scotland.

BBC's Panorama team covertly filmed puppies being handed over to Scottish puppy dealers, after being sourced from a puppy farm in Northern Ireland.

The head of the Scottish SPCA's special investigations unit, who cannot be identified due to his undercover work, said: "Unfortunately, the puppy trade is big business in Scotland, with thousands of dogs being brought into the country each year, from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in particular…

"We're acting on the information received to identify those operating in this cruel business."

Since the operation began, many dogs have been seized and a number of people have been reported to the Procurator Fiscal, he added.

Scottish SPCA investigators are working alongside Stena Line at Cairnryan Port, using new powers to stop and search vehicles it suspects of trafficking puppies illegally.

Stena Line says it would like to ban illegal puppy dealers from using its service but this would require a change in the law.

Spokesperson Diana Poole told the BBC: "Stena Line has a close working relationship with both Dard and Defra and is working on a number of collaborative measures with the authorities to eradicate this illegal practice."

Britain's Puppy Dealers Exposed aired on BBC One this week and has prompted wider calls for a crackdown on the illegal puppy trade.

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Laura Muir wins gold at Commonwealth Games

News Story 1
 Veterinary surgeon and Olympic silver-medalist Laura Muir scooped the gold medal in the 1500m final Commonwealth Games on Sunday.

Winning Scotland's 12th title of the games, Muir finished in four minutes 2.75 seconds, collecting her second medal in 24 hours.

Dr Muir commented on her win: "I just thought my strength is in my kick and I just tried to trust it and hope nobody would catch me. I ran as hard as I could to the line.

"It is so nice to come here and not just get one medal but two and in such a competitive field. Those girls are fast. It means a lot." 

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News Shorts
Views sought on NOAH Compendium

Users of the National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) Compendium app and website are being asked to share their views on how it can be improved.

In a new survey, users are asked about some suggested future developments, such as notifications for new and updated datasheets, sharing links to datasheets, and enhanced search functionality.

It comes after NOAH ceased publication of the NOAH Compendium book as part of its sustainability and environmental commitments. The website and the app will now be the main routes to access datasheets and view any changes.