Earlier this year, Molly-Mae Hague, an influencer, brought the problem of puppy-farms to my attention. Hague used a breeder who openly import their pets from abroad. She had her Pomeranian puppy, Mr Chai, shipped in from Russia in June. However, no little than 2 weeks after Chai’s arrival, he suffered from a seizure and sadly passed away. After autopsy, they found that Chai's skull wasn't fully developed, meaning any little blow could cause severe damage.
All over Europe, there is a growing phenomenon of puppy farms, which are essentially illegal breeding facilities with undesirable conditions for the dogs bred there. Driven by the high demand for pets and the need for profit, puppy-farm owners create these hellish farms where dogs lack basic necessities such as space, proper nutrition and exercise. This leads to more severe problems such as increased anxiety, malnourishment, infections and even blindness. Commonly, the breeding bitches are made to reproduce until they are physically depleted, and then killed off. As disturbing as it is, the conditions they are kept in result in an estimated 3 million dogs being killed in puppy farms every year in the USA.
Having a dog myself, I felt confused and angered when my eyes were opened to the cruelty humans are capable of inflicting, just to make a profit. What is even more shocking to me is how this is not an unknown problem and yet it continues to be overlooked globally.
Fortunately, on the 6th of April, Lucy’s Law was introduced in the UK.This has meant that anyone wanting to get a new puppy or kitten in England must now buy directly from a breeder, or adopt from a rescue centre instead. Despite this, the problem has not fully been eliminated and many people unknowingly find themselves supporting puppy farms. Lucy’s Law is a huge step forward for animal rights, however awareness about this issue must continue to be raised.
No dog deserves to be treated in such heartless ways.
