Lucy’s Law

Help us fight cruel puppy farms and pet shops by demanding...

TODAY the Mirror proudly throws its weight behind a campaign to end the suffering of thousands of dogs in Britain.

We are calling for a ban on the sale of puppies by pet shops and other so-called third party dealers, a trade that relies on animals supplied by horrendous puppy farms.

The campaign is called Lucy’s Law, named after a remarkable Cavalier Spaniel rescued from a Welsh puppy farm who has become a celebrity in her own right.

The fight already has the support of MPS, film and TV personalities, expert vets and pet lovers from all walks of life.

Lucy’s Law, if enacted, will make it illegal to sell puppies unless the mother is present, stopping sales by third party dealers.

The result should spell the end of heartless businesses that treat bitches as nothing more than moneyspinning breeding machines, supplying often sick puppies to dealers to sell on to the unwitting public.

Under Lucy’s Law, these farms will have to allow the buying public onto their premises if they want to continue to sell puppies.

They will have to vastly improve the conditions of the dogs, or face being driven out of business because appalled potential customers will take their money elsewhere.

The Lucy’s Law campaign was launched last night in Parliament by Scottish Nationalist MP Dr Lisa Cameron, the owner of a rescued French bulldog and chair of the All-party Parliamentary Dog Advisory Welfare Group.

“Puppy farming is enabled – even encouraged – by third-party sellers such as pet shops and puppy dealers, which are vessels for irresponsible, low-welfare commercial dog breeding, in the UK and abroad,” she said.

“Lucy’s Law will go a long way towards eradicating the unacceptable activity of puppy farming, smuggling, and most forms of irresponsible dog breeding and selling.”

A key figure behind the campaign is TV vet Marc Abraham, winner of the Mirror’s 2015 Animal Hero Awards.

He is scathing about the part the Government plays. First it gives out official guidance saying that the public should always see a puppy with its mother before buying it.

And then it allows licensed pet shops and breeders to break its own advice.

“It’s hypocritical and contradictory,” he said.

“By licensing these places they are legitimising the sale of puppies away from their mums.”

All too often Mark sees in his Brighton vet’s practice the heart-rending results of pets born on puppy farms and bought through third party dealers.

“Parvovirus is the most common problem – you can’t mistake the rotting flesh smell,” he said.

“It’s the most painful condition, the hardest to treat and is incredibly contagious.

“It is associated with bad husbandry, such as puppy farming, and costs £2,000 to £3,000 to treat and usually still results in a dead puppy.”

The call for a ban on third party puppy sales has the backing of the RSPCA and the Kennel Club.

The campaign is named after Lucy, a Cavalier Spaniel rescued from a cage on a puppy farm. The adorable creature became the mascot for the campaign against puppy farming, winning the Mirror’s Animal Hero award last year. But she was in terrible shape...

It is not just dogs that suffer as a result of puppy farming – the families who buy them can be hit emotionally and financially. I told earlier this year how one family bought a Golden Labrador which they named Freddie. He died after just five days...

TRAGIC Freddie with Ruby