04 April 2024 , 23:01
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Hundreds of illegal clinics where mutilated designer dogs are bred for huge profits must be stopped, a damning report warns.
Animal lovers have voiced alarm at the explosion of clinics where unqualified vets carry out procedures like caesarean sections. Last year there were estimated to be around 400 operating across the UK, 10 times higher than in 2020.
Cruel breeding methods mean dogs are knowingly bred with flat faces, cropped ears, stubby legs - which leave them with lifelong health issues. There is also a growing 'ethically abhorrent' trend for breeding declawed cats, MPs warn.
At the moment those found illegally running vet surgeries face fines of just £100, but can make tens of thousands of pounds by breeding designer animals. A report by the cross-party Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee (EFRA), says laws must urgently be updated.
It also said the Government must act to counter celebrities who share pictures of designer dogs on social media. Chairman Sir Robert Goodwill, said: “As a nation of animal and pet lovers, we place a high importance on the welfare of animals. But some of the regulations that cover the breeding of pet dogs rely on legislation dating back to 1966 and the breeding of cats is almost completely unregulated.
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"We are concerned about the huge rise in the number of canine fertility clinics and the lack of regulatory oversight of these clinics, which may employ unqualified staff to perform veterinary procedures, and which may encourage the breeding of dogs with extreme features and dogs bred for aggressive traits."
The report, which also calls for a ban on puppies under six months from being brought into the UK, and a ban on "mutilated" dogs, warns: "It is all too easy to purchase DIY ear cropping kits online.
"This allows unscrupulous individuals to carry out this act of mutilation." During a series of hard-hitting sessions last year, experts warned MPs that cruel breeding techniques are devastating for animals.
Dr Justine Shotton, senior vice president of the British Veterinary Association, said: "We've seen some really hard images of dogs that were bred with severely deformed limbs to the point where they had to be euthanised at a very early age."
She added: "People are so highly influenced by the trends and not thinking about the animal's welfare."