Louie French MP visited Battersea Dogs and Cats Home this week to continue his campaign for even stronger animal welfare protections, including new laws to stamp out puppy smuggling and the cruel practice of cropped dogs' ears.
Britain already has some of the strongest animal protections in the world. However, breeders and traders illegally smuggle cats and dogs into the country, abusing loopholes in the law. Under changes proposed by the last Conservative Government, which Louie French MP supported, the Pet Travel Scheme would be strengthened to prevent smugglers from travelling pretending animals for sale are their pets.
The minimum age for importing a puppy or kitten would increase from 15 weeks to six months, preventing immoral traders from shipping young animals on a long and stressful journey. Importing heavily pregnant dogs and cats or animals with cropped ears, docked tails or declawed would also be banned.
Ear cropping is a cruel practice that the UK banned in 2006, but many traders continue the painful surgery abroad before selling them in the UK.
Louie French MP said: "I will continue championing stronger animal welfare protections. The Conservatives proposed tough new laws to stamp out puppy smuggling and cruel practices like ear cropping, and there was a cross-party consensus. Sadly, the new Labour government hasn't chosen to continue the legislative process to pass these laws, which was interrupted by the election.
"I'll continue to work with colleagues across the House of Commons to speak up for voiceless animals and lobby the Government to strengthen animal protections. The proposed law to crack down on puppy smuggling and cruel practices is ready; the new Government needs to back it, and I will keep pushing them to do so."
