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<p>I have zero tolerance of the abhorrent crime that is puppy smuggling, where unscrupulous
dealers are abusing the EU Pet Travel Scheme to illegally traffic puppies into the
United Kingdom, with no regard for the welfare of these animals or the biosecurity
of the UK. Defra are pursuing a holistic approach to tackling puppy smuggling, which
includes working closely with Dogs Trust to tackle the issue. Defra Ministers met
senior staff from the charity in November, to discuss the findings of their latest
report.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It is already a requirement for every dog in
the UK to be identified by a microchip and its details to be recorded on a recognised
database. This includes dogs imported from outside the UK. Furthermore, all pets entering
the UK have their microchip scanned and recorded by the carrier at the time of travel.
We do not consider it necessary at this time to introduce an additional database along
the lines proposed.</p><p> </p>
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