‘Lucy’s law’ is a campaign, which has widespread support, seeking to ban the sale of puppies by third-party commercial dealers. The campaign has been named Lucy’s law after a rescue Cavalier King Charles spaniel called Lucy, who was heavily bred under poor conditions. When Lucy was rescued from a Welsh puppy farm, she was suffering. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel’s hips had fused together, she had a curved spine, bald patches and epilepsy after years of mistreatment. She’d been kept in a cage much of her life and was no longer able to have puppies. Dogs like Lucy are often kept by breeders to produce litters of puppies, which are then taken from their mothers at four or five weeks old.
The campaign for Lucy’s law has been driven by the group Care And Respect Includes All Dogs known as CARIAD with has the support of people across Wales. The ban would mean that pet shops, pet dealers and other outlets and licensed sellers of puppies would be unable to sell these pets, unless they themselves had bred them, improving accountability and allowing potential purchasers to see the dog in its “home” environment. Many people were horrified after watching a BBC documentary which highlighted poor welfare standards in some breeding establishments and many of us were convinced that the 2014 regulations were not working as we hoped they would.
Over 12 months, BBC Wales Investigates found “filthy” conditions at breeding sites licensed and approved by councils. As part of the licensing process breeders pay vets to check dogs to decide if they’re “fit to breed”. But an expert panel told BBC Wales some vets’ standards had “slipped” and they were “part of” a “broken system”. There were vets who did not appear to question the environment dogs were being kept in, despite long lists of animals with serious health problems . It also claimed some animals at licensed sites were found with mange and intensely itchy skin conditions, and others were found with cysts, matted fur and eye problems, but the breeders were still re-licensed by the council, and vets failed to raise any concern about the sites in their official reports.
The campaign for Lucy’s law is based on concerns for the welfare of cats and dogs. A ban would prevent the removal of puppies for sale from their mother and the rest of the litter at a young age. The Wales Animal Health and Welfare Framework Group review found a link between third-party sellers and poor welfare at the breeding establishment. The campaign argues that third-party sales create additional risks for consumers and public health and safety, due to the potential purchase of unwell and unsocialised puppies.
The Dogs Trust argues that, due to the complexity of the issue, an end to third party sales can best be achieved by introducing a ban as part of a comprehensive package of coordinated measures. It calls for the Welsh Government to close loopholes, and asks for:
Regulation of all rehoming centres and sanctuaries, claiming that underhand breeders could easily set up as one of these; anyone breeding or selling puppies to be on the radar of their local authority to prevent bad practice amongst breeders; and tougher controls on pet travel to prevent puppy smuggling from overseas
The Welsh Government published a consultation, Third-Party Sales of Puppies and Kittens, in February 2019. The majority of respondents to the consultation felt that a ban would have a positive effect. However some called for a more robust licensing system to make breeders and sellers “more visible and traceable”. Some organisations and individuals felt that a third-party ban would need to be part of a package of measures to avoid any unintended consequences of the ban.
On 18 July 2019 the Lesley Griffiths the responsible Minister committed to introducing a ban on the third party sale of puppies and kittens. On 4 March 2020 she said the Welsh Government would be “legislating on this before the end of this Senedd session in March 2021.”
During the coronavirus pandemic, the issue has not been deprioritised. In a letter to the Climate change, environment and rural affairs Committee in June the Minister said officials are drafting regulations. She highlighted that the proposed changes to commercial third-party sales of puppies and kittens go beyond the ‘Lucy’s Law’ campaign and the legislation introduced in England.
The Welsh Government published its ‘final’ eight week public consultation A Ban on Third Party Sales of Puppies and Kittens on 22 June this year and we would urge anyone with a view to respond to it. The consultation states the proposed ban would:
Ensure consistency with Welsh Government advice that purchasers should seek to see the puppies or kittens with their dam/queen/ mother;
Incentivise welfare improvements in high volume commercial dog breeding establishments by ensuring transparency, accountability and appropriate remuneration for breeders; assist purchasers in making well informed choices based on seeing a puppy or kitten with its mother and encourage responsible buying decisions; and reduce the sale of puppies which have not been bred to the recognised standards of welfare in Wales.
How we treat our pets says a lot about us, many claim we are an animal loving country, we need the law changed to prove we are.
Below are some images from the BBC programme on puppy farming
Jayne Bryant is the Member of the Welsh Parliament for Newport West and Mike Hedges is the Member of the Welsh Parliament for Swansea East
