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Dogs Trust reveals change needed to report illegally imported dogs
74 per cent of veterinary professionals believed they had seen an illegally imported dog in the last 12 months.

Majority of vets unsure on how to report cases

Dogs Trust has published a new investigative report on the illegal importation of dogs to the UK. Findings have revealed that improvements need to be made, both in the reporting process and in public awareness.

The report showed that 74 per cent of veterinary professionals surveyed believed that they had seen a potentially illegally imported dog in the past 12 months, but only 50 per cent were aware that suspected cases of illegally imported dogs should be reported to Trading Standards.

Tell-tale signs of an imported puppy as described by veterinary professionals included:

  • Issues with the microchip, or a lack of microchip or records altogether
  • Puppy being collected from places such as carparks, or being brought to the owner’s home
  • Exhibiting poor health or a poor body score
  • Being underage and under-socialised
  • Owners not being allowed to see the puppy’s parents
  • Any of these signs being present for popular dog breeds.

Other answers regarding where to report a suspected case of an imported dog included Defra; animal welfare organisations; the Veterinary Defence Society; the local authority or the police. 40 per cent of veterinary professionals polled said they had attempted to report a dog they suspected had been illegally imported, but more than half (56 per cent) found difficulty in reaching people out of hours, or in knowing who to contact in the first place.

Dogs Trust also reported that, according to figures from Defra, more than 300,000 dogs had been imported to the UK through the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) in 2018. This number has been increasing yearly since 2012, when controversial changes to PETS standardised pet travel across the EU.

Veterinary director of Dogs Trust Paula Boyden said: “These findings highlight an urgent need to improve the process of reporting cases to Trading Standards in a timely manner, particularly out of hours.

“More could be done to build confidence among vet professionals in the reporting process, so that when they take the time to report a suspected case, they feel assured it will be handled promptly and consistently. We will continue to do all we can to assist Trading Standards and other agencies to improve this process.

“It is clear that an improved protocol around reporting needs to come hand in hand with better public awareness of the illegal importation of dogs.”

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.