Persistent illegal puppy selling post-pandemic

Researchers from the Royal Veterinary College are calling for greater protection of puppy welfare as Lucy's Law is not adhered to and increasing numbers of underage puppies are being illegally imported. A study exploring changes to UK puppy buying habits both before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, has revealed concerning ongoing trends. Findings showed that several worrying changes seen during the 'peak' 2020 phase of the pandemic persisted into 2021, with 2021 purchased puppies still less likely to be viewed in-person before purchase or collected from inside the breeders' property, compared to 2019 puppies. The study by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) also revealed year-on-year increases in the number of puppies being sold with a passport between 2019-2021, indicating importation to the UK, often under the minimum legal age for import (15 weeks). This information is key in helping prospective owners know what to look out for when buying a puppy to ensure the protection of canine welfare in the future. The COVID-19 pandemic gave rise to an international shift in the volume of adult dogs and puppies that were acquired by domestic households, the latter dubbed the "Pandemic Puppy" phenomenon. Despite what was often reported as a positive phenomenon in the media, with benefits to human mental wellbeing, pandemic-related dog purchasing also had some unintended negative impacts on the welfare of the dog population, due to changes in how pets were acquired during this period.