As Shadow DEFRA Minister, Dr Neil Hudson MP gave the full support of His Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition to a Bill which aims to stamp out the immoral puppy smuggling trade that has continued to spiral since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr Neil Hudson, the MP for Epping Forest, was the first vet elected to the House of Commons in more than 100 years and with his expertise, has been a long-standing advocate for anti-puppy smuggling measures which also extend to ferrets and cats, as well as heavily pregnant dogs and those animals with horrific mutilations such as dogs with cropped ears and de-clawed cats.
The pandemic saw a huge spike in illicit imports and animal campaigners have said this only represents unscrupulous smugglers who were caught, and the presence of imported mutilated dogs in the general population shows many more have evaded authorities.
Many of these puppies are kept in awful conditions during shipping to the UK with no care for their welfare. Imported animals can pose a biosecurity risk due to reported cases of zoonotic diseases, such as Brucella canis.
Since the pandemic, Dr Hudson has held debates on the issue, hosted expert roundtables, invited leading animal welfare charities to Parliament, triggered a Select Committee Inquiry and led parliamentary delegations to the Border in Dover and animal rescue centres.
The Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill had its Second Reading in Parliament and from the frontbenches, Dr Neil Hudson MP said:
"Animal welfare unites us in humanity. As a Veterinary Surgeon, a Member of Parliament and the Shadow Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Minister, I can proudly say that His Majesty’s loyal Opposition strongly support this Bill in the interests of animal health and welfare."
Speaking afterwards, Dr Neil Hudson MP said:
"As a vet, MP and Shadow DEFRA Minister and frankly as an animal lover, I have been delighted with the cross-party support for this vital piece of legislation that the previous Conservative Government drafted just this year.”
"For too long unscrupulous smugglers have taken advantage of loop holes, lax checks and a lack of data to proliferate this grim trade that does so much to damage the lives of individual pets, as well as potentially public health and those who have been duped into housing these vulnerable animals.
"I'm delighted we will now finally be able clamp down on these immoral practices with tough penalties."
