Monday 2nd May - Today, billboards up and down the country are being taken over by a new campaign from the global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS, to highlight the risks of buying a pet online. 

For four weeks, billboards around the country will share the heartbreaking story of Poppy, who was bought online, but reached her new family, small, weak and fighting for her life. 

Poppy’s story is sadly not unique. The illegal puppy trade is rife with animal cruelty and deception. 

Every year, countless puppies are bred in terrible conditions, taken from their mothers too early and transported across Europe to be sold online via classified ad sites.  

The adorable adverts that catch our eyes online don’t show the truth. 

Particularly after the pandemic, the trade has boomed. With a huge demand for dogs, puppies are overbred to meet the need and exposed to more dangers.  

In 2021 over 800 victims and witnesses of the illegal puppy trade reported their experiences to FOUR PAWS. Via an online reporting form, victims shared their experiences of unwell puppies that have may have been illegally transported into the UK and sought to seek justice from unscrupulous breeders. 

Beyond physical ailments, behavioural problems can also occur in puppies that have been separated too early from their mothers or not socialised properly in their first few weeks. These can turn out to be even more difficult to treat than viral or genetic diseases.   

Find out more about how to avoid falling victim to the illegal puppy trade and ensuring you #ThinkBeforeYouClick here. 

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