Government To Ban Puppy And Kitten Farming To Protect Animals From ‘Pain, Suffering And Misery’

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Proud pet owners have true cause for celebration today, with the successful passing of Lucy’s Law in parliament.

Under this new law, those hoping to buy a dog or cat younger than six months old will have to go through either a breeder or rescue centre.

Pet shops and other such commercial dealers will be prohibited from selling puppies and kittens, with the hope of wiping out puppy farming for good.

Proposals have now gone out to consultation, in a brilliant step forward for those looking to ensure the accountability of breeders.

Director of PETA UK, Elisa Allen told UNILAD:

This law is badly needed to impose some restrictions on heartless breeders, who prey on the uninformed public. Most people who buy dogs or cats from pet shops or breeders are unaware of the suffering that occurs behind the scenes in this shady business – which treats animals as money-making objects.

In puppy mills, female dogs are forced to churn out litter after litter until their bodies are worn out. They commonly spend their entire lives in filthy cages and, because of a lack of veterinary care, are prone to illness.

Allen also advised anyone looking to enrich their lives with a pet to opt for an animal shelter rather than a breeder:

While this legislation may combat some of the worst abuse on puppy factory farms, breeding animals for profit is an inherently cruel and irresponsible practice, as thousands of lovable and highly adoptable dogs and cats are euthanised in the UK every year for lack of good homes.

People who are willing to commit to taking proper care of a dog, a cat, or any other animal should avoid breeders like the plague and save a life by adopting from their local shelter.

The Lucy’s Law campaign began with a little Cavalier King Charles Spaniel by the name of Lucy, who was rescued from a puppy farm in 2013.

She had been used as a breeding bitch for the first five years of her life, before being regarded as ‘worthless’ after her damaged body was no longer able to produce litter after litter.

Lucy’s puppies were often cruelly taken from her far too early, to ensure they were still ‘cute enough’ to sell.

The abusive, cramped conditions she was subjected to inevitability took their toll on poor Lucy, leaving her with a number of health conditions including curvature of the spine.

Lucy sadly passed away in 2016. However, people continued to fight on in her name to protect other dogs from suffering the horror of the puppy farm industry.

TV vet and Pup Aid founder Marc Abraham launched the campaign after learning of Lucy’s difficult life story. He has now tweeted of his joy at the legislation being passed:

Difficult day to put into words, but I can safely say I’m incredibly honoured to work alongside fellow campaigners, parliamentarians & celebs who always prioritise animal welfare.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove praised the campaign in an announcement at 10 Downing Street, the Mirror reports:

We will eliminate puppy farming.

We will make sure third party sales of kittens and puppies ends.

Far too many of the pets that people, with the best will in the world, bring into their homes we know have been brought up in squalid circumstances, in circumstances of pain and suffering and misery which should never be inflicted on any living thing.

Well done to all those who campaigned tirelessly for this law to become a reality. Hopefully one day all dogs can live full, healthy lives where they are cherished rather than used for profit.

If you have a story you want to tell send it to UNILAD via [email protected]

Julia Banim

Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.