Pawlitical Pawlicies 2020

1 Trust Pawlicy Priorities Dogs Trust is the UK’s largest welfare charity. We have been caring for dogs in need for more than 125 years. In the last year we cared for approximately 14,300 stray and abandoned dogs through our network of 20 rehoming centres across the UK and one in Ireland.

Our mission, to bring about the day when all dogs can enjoy a happy life, free from the threat of unnecessary destruction, is our guiding principle.

Since Dogs Trust was founded in 1891 (formerly National Canine Defence League) we have always campaigned on dog welfare issues. We invest substantial resources in education programmes, information services, community outreach, and education on responsible dog ownership, including our Dog School training classes.

Dogs Trust also has an in-house research team to ensure that all our policy positions are evidence-based, and we are doing the best we can for all dogs in our care and beyond.

The health and happiness of every dog is at the heart of all our work, which is why we never put a healthy dog down.

2 3 Puppy Smuggling Dogs Trust has been exposing the failures of the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) since 2014. Our investigative work in this field has found evidence of:

• Breeders and dealers in Central and Eastern Europe using PETS for the illegal importation of puppies into Great Britain for sale; • Unscrupulous vets falsifying data on pet passports; • Vets in Serbia (a third county) providing pre-filled Hungarian and Bulgarian passports and microchips for underage puppies, passing them off as EU-bred animals; • Vets in Lithuania offering to sedate puppies to smuggle them across the border; • An increasing trend of heavily pregnant female dogs being illegally brought into the UK to allow dealers to dupe buyers into thinking they are buying ‘UK bred’ puppies; • Ineffective border controls and enforcement of PETS at UK ports; • Lack of sufficient penalties to deter the illegal trade; • Puppies as young as 4 weeks entering the UK when the legal minimum age to travel via PETS is 15 weeks. In December 2015, we launched our pilot quarantine initiative, which aims to disrupt the trade by providing care and support for illegally imported puppies. Until Dogs Trust stepped in, illegally imported puppies were at risk of being put to sleep or turned away at the borders only to enter the country at another time instead. Puppies seized under the initiative are quarantined, socialised and habituated, and then rehomed responsibly through our network of rehoming centres.

Since December 2015 nearly 1,050 puppies have been rehomed by Dogs Trust. The majority of these puppies were deemed to be underage and thus seized, however some were born in Dogs Trust care after their heavily pregnant mums were travelled illegally in the late stages of pregnancy. To date we have cared for 17 mums and their subsequent pups. Sadly, as a result of the journeys many of the puppies have endured, around 4% of the puppies on the pilot scheme died before we were able to rehome them due to poor health, malnutrition and dehydration.

In 2016 Defra, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government consulted on the Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals Order 2011, which implements EU legislation on pet travel into domestic legislation. However, clear proposals to tackle the abuse of this legislation have

4 5 not been forthcoming. We have long called for the implementation of immediate actions that could be taken to begin to tackle the trade more effectively. Better enforcement of the legislation is urgently needed, including shifting the enforcement of PETs from the carriers (i.e. ferry companies and Eurotunnel) to Government agencies. Dog Breeding and Sale In October 2018 the (Licensing EU exit also provides scope to review the legislation governing pet travel. of Activities Involving Animals) () We strongly believe that the legal requirements and implementation of Regulations 2018 came into effect, introducing this EU legislation in the UK should be reviewed and amended. These a single animal establishment licence for dog amendments should include: breeding and selling.

• The requirement for a rabies antibody titration blood test to be Dogs Trust welcomed the move to update what was outdated legislation. reintroduced, together with a wait period post blood test equivalent to However, we are concerned that the Regulations do not go far enough to the incubation of rabies. Such a wait period would increase the age at sufficiently protect dog welfare. which dogs can enter the country to around 6 months old; • The window for tapeworm treatment of dogs before entry into Great We believe an improved, robust licensing system is required to tackle Britain to be shortened from 24 - 120 hours to 24 - 48 hours and unscrupulous breeders and sellers. Whilst the Regulations reduced the tapeworm treatment for cats should be reintroduced. The shorter the threshold for licensing of dog breeders from five to three or more litters in a window the less chance of reinfection before travel; year, we believe only a system that has total traceability can be fully effective.

• Reintroduction of the requirement for dogs and cats to be treated We believe that anyone breeding, selling or transferring the ownership of against ticks; a puppy (a dog up to 6 months old), regardless of any financial transaction • Reduction of the number of dogs allowed as a non-commercial or gain, should be required to be registered. In addition to this, anyone movement from the current 5 dogs per person travelling. breeding, selling or transferring the ownership, regardless of any financial transaction or gain, of more than one litter of puppies should require We are also concerned about the effectiveness of the Balai Directive, which a licence. It should then be a mandatory requirement for any advert to governs the movement of animals for commercial purposes. We have serious include the individual’s unique registration or licence number. concerns that there is a lack of checks at the ports, as checks take place at the point of destination. Currently the Animal Health and Plant Agency In May 2019 an amendment to the Regulations was introduced. It brought (APHA) only conduct post import checks on less than 10% of consignments. forward a ban on the third party selling of puppies and kittens, due to It is clear there is not only potential for cases of illegal importations to be come into force in April 2020. missed, but when checks are only being conducted on fewer than 10% of consignments there is significant scope for abuse of this system. We urge all The welfare of our nation’s dogs is our highest priority and Dogs Trust wants of the recommendations that we have proposed for addressing the abuse to see an end to third party sales including the sale of puppies in pet shops. of PETS are also implemented for commercial movements to further tackle As this is a complex issue, we believe an end to third party sales can best be the illegal trade of puppies. achieved if a comprehensive package of coordinated measures is introduced, so we can be confident that it will have the success we all want to see.

Dogs Trust calls for an immediate action plan to address the abuse of PETS and the number of dogs illegally entering Great Britain every day.

The UK’s pet travel rules are regulated by EU legislation, we also call for pet travel legislation to be amended on exit from the EU.

6 7 The additional measures we would like to see include:

• Rehoming organisations and sanctuaries to be regulated through licensing and inspection. Currently anyone can set themselves up as one which leaves a significant loophole for immoral breeders and sellers to continue their trade, even with a ban; • Full traceability and transparency by registering anyone who is selling a litter, along with licensing and inspection for those producing more than one litter; • Vital training and support for Local Authority inspectors to enforce the right breeding standards; • Urgent changes to the Pet Travel Scheme to stem the flow of illegally imported puppies into Great Britain along with harsher penalties given to these unscrupulous breeders and traders. The current penalties are simply no deterrent.

The enforcement of the legislation on breeding or selling puppies must be robust and consistent and carried out by someone fully trained in animal welfare. Before this can happen, inspectors must have the full support of both the Government and their Local Authority to enforce the right standards.

Dogs Trust calls for the introduction of a robust system of registration and licensing of dog breeding to provide full transparency and traceability of this ever-growing trade.

8 9 Advertising Dogs Trust chairs the Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) which was created in 2001 to combat growing concerns regarding the irresponsible advertising of pets for sale, rehoming, and exchange. Since its formation PAAG has witnessed a significant increase in the number of pets and animals advertised for sale online. PAAG’s work has been endorsed by Defra, DAERA in Northern Ireland, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government.

PAAG has created a set of Minimum Standards, which several of the UK’s largest classified advertising websites have agreed to meet. Unfortunately, whilst the standards are voluntary there is a limit to their impact as not all websites are willing to adopt them.

We are pleased that it is now a legal requirement for licensed pet dog sellers in England to display their licence number on all adverts, which Licensing of Rehoming Organisations and Sanctuaries came into force in October 2018, along with some of the other PAAG Dogs Trust has been calling for regulation of rehoming organisations and Minimum Standards becoming a legal requirement for licensed sellers. animal sanctuaries for some time. However, due to our serious concerns around the sale of dogs, we believe that all forms of advertising, including online, should be verifiable. By • Currently there is no legislation in place, so anyone can set up their own introducing registration alongside licensing and creating a centralised, rehoming organisation or sanctuary; publicly accessible list of all registered and licensed breeders and sellers, • There is little to proactively safeguard the animals involved as the Local buyers would then be able to check the legitimacy of breeders or sellers. Authority is not required to and so does not inspect these premises; This would allow a simplified system that would be easily accessible for purchasers to verify where they are buying a dog from in an increasingly • Poor welfare can have a knock-on effect when the animal is rehomed. online, nationwide marketplace. We would like to see all such establishments licensed, with regular inspections against mandatory minimum standards to ensure the welfare Dogs Trust calls for PAAG’s Minimum Standards to be requirements of the animals are met. We believe licence fees should be proportionate to the size of the rehoming centre or sanctuary. introduced as a legal requirement for all adverts offering pets for sale, in conjunction with the development of a centralised, As with any welfare organisation, if introduced, Dogs Trust would also be publicly accessible list of registered and licensed breeders. subject to such regulation. We see this as a positive move to improve overall standards across rehoming organisations and animal sanctuaries.

Dogs Trust calls for the introduction of a system of licensing of all rehoming centres and sanctuaries without delay which is robust and enforceable, to truly protect the animals involved.

10 11 Fireworks Easy access to fireworks and poor enforcement of existing legislation is having a detrimental impact on dog welfare.

• Dogs generally feel safe and more secure when they can predict and control their environment, so when unexplained noises Dogs Trust has some simple advice to help make fireworks less stressful for happen unexpectedly such as those caused dogs during fireworks season, as well by fireworks, this can be extremely stressful as some tips for longer term treatment for dogs. of firework or loud noise fears. For more information visit: https://www. • In these cases we may see behaviours such dogstrust.org.uk/help-advice/advice- as avoidance (e.g. hiding away, not eating for-owners/fireworks and agitation) and overt behaviours (e.g. barking, spinning, tail-chewing) that occur as dogs try to drive away the perceived threat. • These behaviours can be extremely challenging for owners to address because fireworks remain out of their control so they are unable to remove the triggers for their dog’s fearful behaviour.

We want to see restrictions around the sale of fireworks, limiting them to licensed, public occasions and organised events. We recommend the introduction of a licensing system whereby fireworks can be sold to licensed venues only. Local Authorities should take the location of public displays into consideration when granting them a licence and require that they are well publicised in the surrounding area.

Dogs Trust calls for the introduction of regulations to ban the sale of fireworks to the public and restrict their use to licensed, public occasions and organised events only.

12 13 Aversive Training Devices Dogs Trust believes that the use of electronic shock collars as well as other aversive training devices, such as sonic and spray collars, is detrimental to the welfare of dogs.

This type of device is not only painful for a dog, it can have a serious negative impact on their mental and physical wellbeing. As well as distress at the time of use, dogs can develop anxiety and other problem behaviours as a longer-term consequence.

The results of research1 on dog training methods found:

• There are consistent links between positive punishment or negative reinforcement methods and problematic behaviours such as aggression, high arousal and poor learning ability; • Aversive training devices do not deal with the root cause of barking or other undesirable behaviours; • Shocks from e-collars during training cause distress-related behavioural reactions and are physically painful and stressful for dogs.

Under no circumstances do we condone the use of equipment or techniques that use pain or fear to train a dog. Dogs Trust cared for approximately 14,300 dogs last year using reward-based training methods only. For these reasons we have long been calling for a full ban on the use and sale of aversive training devices.

In 2010, Wales led the way by banning the use of electronic shock collars. The Scottish Government has introduced guidance on the use of electronic shock, sonic and spray collars in .

Only Westminster can ban the sale of these devices across the UK.

Dogs Trust calls for the implementation of a ban on the use of all aversive training devices.

For this ban to be fully effective, we call for a ban on their sale to be introduced across the UK.

1 https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/news-events/news/the%20welfare%20impact%20%20and%20effica- cy%20of%20%20canine%20training%20methods_v4.pdf 14 15 Animal Cruelty Sentencing The woefully inadequate penalties available for cruelty offences following conviction under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (AWA) are a serious cause for concern.

Whilst the AWA was intended to strengthen animal cruelty sentencing with up to 51 weeks imprisonment, the legislation that would commence these terms has not been implemented; therefore, the maximum custodial sentence remains as it was under the Protection of Animals Act 1911, just six months. As a result, the effectiveness of the AWA is severely blunted by the weakness of the sentences available to the judiciary.

This means that whilst the owner of a dog which injures or kills an assistance dog can (quite rightly) be given a maximum custodial sentence of three years, a person who injures or kills any dog can only receive a maximum custodial sentence of six months. This discrepancy highlights the urgent need for the introduction of penalties that reflect the seriousness of the offences that are sadly carried out on a daily basis. The maximum penalty for animal cruelty offences in Northern Ireland is Animal Sentience five years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine. The Scottish Government is currently introducing legislation that will increase the penalties available Dogs Trust strongly believes there is the need to recognise animal sentience in Scotland to also be 5 years. in domestic law via primary legislation once the UK leaves the EU. Currently, the UK has no legal instrument which achieves this other than Article 13 of Dogs Trust also has concerns about the welfare of dogs, seized as part of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU. It is therefore crucial to ensure that cruelty cases, that may spend protracted periods of time in kennels whilst this principle is retained in future UK legislation after EU exit, to prevent a these cases go through court. This is often detrimental to the welfare of retrograde step for animal welfare. the animals involved, as many dogs find kennelling difficult to cope with. Alongside increased sentences for animal cruelty, Dogs Trust would like We also feel the recognition of sentience in domestic law will provide an to see a requirement for courts to automatically consider whether it is opportunity to move the principles of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 forward. in the interests of the current or future welfare of an animal taken into At present the welfare needs of animals, whilst critical to ensuring the possession as part of an animal cruelty case, to make an order requiring welfare of animals, promote an approach of ‘a life worth living’. We believe that the animal be sold or rehomed. enshrining sentience in domestic law will enable us to move towards the promotion of positive welfare for animals, i.e. ‘a good life’.

Dogs Trust calls for the maximum sentence for animal cruelty cases to be increased to 5 years without delay. The process for Dogs Trust calls for animal sentience to be enshrined animals held as part of a court case must also be accelerated. in domestic law.

16 17 Freedom Project Dogs Trust’s Freedom Project is a free dog fostering service for people who are fleeing domestic abuse. The service operates in Greater and the Home Counties, , Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne & Wear and across the whole of Scotland.

People fleeing domestic abuse are usually unable to take their pets with them into a refuge so in many cases they are reluctant to and will delay leaving their home until they know there is somewhere safe for their pets. Dogs Trust, alongside other pet fostering services in the UK, offers a solution by placing dogs into the homes of volunteer foster carers for up to 6 months, until their owners are rehoused and can take them back. Dogs Trust covers all of the dog’s expenses during that time, including food and veterinary costs.

Dogs Trust Freedom Project recently carried out research which found that almost nine in 10 professionals working in the domestic abuse sector have seen cases where a pet has also been abused. The survey also found that 49% of domestic abuse professionals had been aware of cases where pets had been killed. It is also recognised that if a perpetrator abuses a pet, this is considered an increased risk factor for the victim.

Dogs Trust recognises that pets play an important part in their owners’ lives, particularly when they are going through difficult times. Perpetrators know that owners love and care for their animals and will use this bond to abuse their partners by physically abusing or threatening to harm the animal, as well as controlling how the owner is able to care for the animal.

Dogs Trust is also a member of the Links Group, a multi-agency interest group that promotes the welfare and safety of vulnerable children, animals and adults so that they are free from violence and abuse.

Dogs Trust calls for perpetrator’s behaviour towards pets to be recognised as a tool of coercive control within any future domestic abuse legislation.

18 19 Greyhounds The Welfare of Racing Greyhound Regulations 2010 were introduced after huge pressure from charities, MPs, media and the public to ensure that the welfare of the dogs was better protected. However, the legislation only focuses on welfare measures at the track, failing to provide any legislative protection for greyhounds during breeding, kennelling (where greyhounds spend the majority of their time), transportation, and retirement.

In 2015 the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) research into the effectiveness of the Regulations identified concerns with the current legislation. However, their Post Implementation Review of the 2010 Regulations still failed to address key greyhound welfare concerns, as well as recommendations made in the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee’s (EFRA Committee) June 2016 report.

We are concerned that a large number of greyhounds remain unaccounted for every year in the UK. Dogs Trust, along with the EFRA committee, is calling for the Regulations to be extended to cover trainers’ kennels, where greyhounds spend approximately 95% of their time. Regulations should also be amended to require the publication of welfare data relating to injury, euthanasia and rehoming, and should include reporting from the independent tracks. Currently this is voluntary for GBGB licensed tracks only, we would like this to be mandatory for all tracks.

In light of the significant profit the sport generates, we also believe the onus should be put on bookmakers who profit from greyhound racing to contribute financially to improving welfare standards. Currently, bookmakers can contribute a voluntary levy for greyhound racing but this stands at just 0.6% of the turnover of the industry and there is nothing in place to ensure that this is ringfenced to be spent on greyhound welfare. We believe that the percentage of turnover should be increased and that this be made compulsory so that the welfare of racing greyhounds is prioritised by the bookmakers who profit from the sport.

Dogs Trust calls for the introduction of amendments to the current legislation on greyhound welfare, to cover all aspects of racing greyhounds’ lives including trainer’s kennels.

We also call for a compulsory levy of bookmakers to fund improvements to greyhound welfare.

20 21 In order to effectively tackle dog bites and dog attacks, action is needed to Breed Specific Legislation ensure responsible dog ownership, traceability and accountability of dog There is a vital need to overhaul the existing Dangerous Dogs legislation. owners and the identification and prevention of early signs of aggression. One of the biggest failures of the Dangerous Dogs Act (DDA) is the emphasis on breed specific legislation, which evidence suggests is not effective in Better sharing of intelligence and joint working between Local Authorities reducing the number of dog bites. and the Police is needed in order to prevent dog bite incidents.

The available evidence tells us that: Dogs Trust calls for breed specific legislation to be repealed and • All dogs have the capability to become aggressive. Breed specific replaced with preventative legislation on dog control which is legislation is therefore flawed in the assumption that the breeds and breed neutral. types of dogs that are banned are more ‘dangerous’ than other breeds; • Inappropriate human-dog interaction is almost always involved prior to attack. Education on dog behaviour and how to appropriately interact with dogs is therefore crucial to the prevention of dog bites and attacks.

The scientific evidence available is further detailed in Dogs Trust’s response to the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Committee’s 2018 inquiry into Dangerous Dogs & Breed Specific Legislation, which Dog Trust can provide on request.

Dogs Trust has serious concerns about: • How subjective the interpretation of the standard for identifying Pit Bull Terrier types can be, and how a dog can be deemed ‘dangerous’ based on conformation alone; • The impact of the current legislation on dog welfare. This includes concerns about the protracted periods dogs can spend in kennels during the court process, the conditions for the keeping of exempted dogs and the number of prohibited dogs that are euthanised because they cannot be rehomed.

Dogs Trust strongly believes in ‘deed not breed’ and therefore that breed specific legislation should be repealed. If there is absolutely no possibility of this, then it is imperative that measures are introduced to protect the welfare of the prohibited dogs involved. This should include allowing the safe rehoming of exempted prohibited types of dogs by rehoming organisations such as ourselves, following behavioural assessment (as would be the case for any dog in our care) and reviewing the rules around keepership.

22 23 Microchipping Review Dogs Trust long campaigned for the introduction of compulsory microchipping for all dogs, and previously chaired the Microchipping Alliance. We have offered free microchipping by appointment at all our rehoming centres for many years and have chipped over 1.1 million dogs since launching our campaign in 1999.

We greatly welcomed the Microchipping of Dogs Regulations 2015 and welcome the upcoming review of these Regulations, as required by the law.

There are certain areas that Dogs Trust would like to see addressed in the review:

• It is essential that all puppies can be linked back to their breeder for full traceability purposes. Enforcement of the obligation for the breeder to always be recorded as the dog’s first keeper needs to be improved; • We have long stressed the fact that a microchip on its own is meaningless. Every year, thousands of stray dogs are unable to be reunited with their owners because their database details are not up to date. It is imperative more is done to raise awareness of how vital it is that owners keep their details up to date on the relevant database; • Due to financial pressure some Local Authorities struggle to find adequate resources to implement and enforce this legislation. Financial support to assist the effective enforcement of these Regulations, in order to reduce variation across different Local Authorities in both enforcement and levels of fines imposed, is needed.

Dogs Trust calls for the upcoming review of the Microchipping Regulations to address areas of weakness to ensure all dogs are microchipped and traceable.

24 25 Livestock Worrying Enforcement of Companion Animal Welfare Legislation It is an offence for a dog to “worry” livestock i.e. (a) chase livestock, or (b) Dogs Trust has serious concerns that inspections of animal establishments, attack livestock, or (c) not be on a lead or otherwise under close control in a such as breeding premises and dog boarding facilities, are currently often field or enclosure in which there are livestock. By law, farmers are permitted conducted by Local Authority officials with limited resources and no or to destroy a dog that injures or worries their animals, so prevention is key limited knowledge of animal welfare. We strongly believe that anyone to ensure all animals remain safe. inspecting animal establishments should be appropriately qualified in animal welfare. Livestock worrying has a significant negative impact on the livestock involved and the farming community. We have long advocated dog owners We therefore recommend that a central unit of suitably trained inspectors taking action to prevent livestock worrying and attacks from occurring in is developed which can be utilised by any/all Local Authorities to carry out the first instance, including ensuring dogs are kept on lead, and close to inspections of animal establishments. This inspectorate would have to have no profit-making commercial interests in order to ensure that the goal is their owners, whenever livestock are in the vicinity, within sight, sound not on profit, but on animal welfare. Licence fees should be set by Local or smell – or whenever their presence is likely to be expected. Yet, we Authorities to allow full cost recovery for this. understand that reporting of incidents is inconsistent, as is the recording of reports. As a result there isn’t a clear picture of the true scale of attacks, the circumstances of them and their impact. Dogs Trust calls for the of creation of a central unit of appropriately trained inspectors which can be utilised by Local We are calling for the introduction of mandatory reporting and standardised Authorities to carry out inspections of animal establishments. data gathering to help build a better understanding of the prevalence and circumstances of incidents and what interventions might work to prevent attacks, recognising that these may vary between areas.

We also continue to actively advise owners of measures they can take to prevent incidents when enjoying the countryside with their dog. Training is crucial, particularly basic recall techniques and we would urge dog owners to visit our Dog School website for more information on appropriate training techniques: https://www.dogstrustdogschool.org.uk/training

We also offer specific advice for dog owners walking in the countryside to minimise the risk to both dogs and livestock: https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/ news-events/news/dogs-and-livestock If you are interested in visiting your local rehoming centre, or would like more information on Dogs Trust or our work, Dogs Trust calls for the introduction of mandatory reporting please contact our Public Affairs team at and standardised data collection as a means of helping to [email protected] or 020 7812 5266. identify and evaluate proactive measures to prevent incidents You can also find more information at of livestock worrying and attack before they occur. www.dogstrust.org.uk/publicaffairs or by following us on Twitter @DT_Pawlitical

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