Meeting of the Parliament 09 May 2024
I am someone who has had dogs in his life from the age of eight, when I got my first Labrador pup, called Pepper, until very recently—a period of just shy of 50 years—whether as pets or as working colleagues that have helped me to gather sheep and cattle. I have had them in my life for the vast majority of my life and, as a dog person, I am fully aware of the important role that they play in our individual lives and in our communities, and of their contribution to society, and I know how important it is that we continue to take their welfare and lifelong wellbeing seriously.
However, despite their popularity as much-loved family pets, we know that not all dogs are sold, purchased or treated responsibly. They can often be acquired impulsively, with the lifelong commitment not having been fully considered or enough thought having been given to where the puppy has been acquired from.
Having sold a number of pups from working collies over the years, I am acutely aware of the responsibility of sellers or transferrers of dogs in ensuring that dogs are placed in appropriate homes with people who understand their needs, the temperament of the breed, the exercise requirements and the nature of, and potential problems associated with, the dog that is being transferred.
Responsible dog breeders and sellers take those responsibilities very seriously indeed. In fact, in the past, my wife and I have refused to sell people pups because we could not satisfy ourselves that they were fully aware of what they were taking on. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. There are far too many unscrupulous sellers of pups from puppy farms where welfare is the last consideration and profit is king.
The unscrupulous criminals behind the trade are using increasingly sophisticated ways to fraudulently pass themselves off as legitimate home breeders. They take advantage of the public demand for pups of particular breeds and often supply pups that have been bred in poor conditions in other countries, which can develop serious health and behavioural problems because of the conditions in which they have been bred and kept. That can lead to a heartbreaking situation for new owners, whose decisions when they buy a dog are often emotive.
I acknowledge the hard work of the Scottish SPCA and other agencies across the UK, which continue to collaborate to combat the low-welfare puppy trade by sharing information and taking enforcement action against the criminals involved.
The Scottish Government supports that work and has made significant improvements to the legislation on dog breeding and pet sales in recent years, as well as funding campaigns to increase public awareness of the risks.
The Government is also committed to setting the highest standards for animal welfare.