WATCH: Dozens of puppies destined to be sold by traffickers are RESCUED from back of vans
THE sickening depths puppy smugglers will stoop to flood the market with young dogs is exposed today in a video of a major seizure.
Seized! Consignment of sawdust turns into £60,000 worth of illegal puppies
Unscrupulous traffickers had piled dozens of puppies into the back of a van to make them look like a consignment of sawdust.
Luckily, the van was stopped en route to the UK and young dogs freed from “sauna-like” conditions.
In all, 96 beagles, basset hounds, labradoodles and other popular breeds were seized in a major operation led by the RSPCA.
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The value of the puppies on the streets would have been £60,000.
As Christmas approaches and the demand for puppies as presents mounts, the animal welfare charity has released footage of the recent intelligence-led interception at Holyhead.
Border Force swooped on two vans as part of Operation Delphin, a multi-agency mission that has brought together customs, police, local authorities, vets and animal charities to target illegal puppy traders.
The public reaction to this recent incident at Holyhead has been heart-warming
New video shows the vehicles being searched and the conditions the animals were kept in as they were ferried from Ireland to the UK.
In one van, 65 puppies were inside cages that been hidden by a wall of sawdust bales.
The RSPCA say the dogs had been transported in “hugely inappropriate conditions” and that the seizure is a shocking example of “the lengths unscrupulous puppy dealers will go to make a quick buck”.
Once the puppies were given medical checks and deemed fit to travel, they were returned to Ireland and the care of a Dublin animal charity.
Speaking today, Chief Inspector Ian Briggs of the RSPCA’s special operations unit, said: “The public reaction to this recent incident at Holyhead has been heart-warming, and demonstrates an increased awareness as to the extent of the puppy trade.
“The RSPCA will continue to work with other agencies to tackle unscrupulous dealers and protect the dogs involved.
“Sadly, organised crime groups are aiming to make tens of thousands of pounds from the trade of puppies, often with no regard for the welfare of these poor, mistreated animals.
“Meanwhile, there are countless numbers of rescue dogs desperately searching for a forever home.”
Animal welfare groups are warning families that a puppy is for life and not just for Christmas, and that buying a young dog without checking its provenance and history can lead to huge veterinary bills.
Chief Inspector Briggs added: “It's vital at this time of year that the public remember that dogs and puppies are not a present but a massive commitment.
“We continue to urge the public to do their homework, both in deciding whether they can meet that commitment, and in researching, in detail, where the puppy has come from.”
