The UK government has been slammed by Scottish animal defenders for reneging on promises to protect puppies.
The Tories’ abandonment of the Kept Animals Bill has been branded a “massive step backwards” by Kirsteen Campbell, chief executive of the Scottish SPCA.
The bill would have banned the importing of puppies under six months of age.
And it would have potentially brought an end to cruel ear cropping of pups by banning the import to the UK of animals that suffered in backstreet vet operations overseas.
After the UK government admitted it would be scrapping the eagerly awaited and wide ranging legislation, Campbell said: “This was a fantastic opportunity to make some giant steps but we are now looking at a wasted opportunity and a massive step backwards.
“With ear cropping, we are seeing an explosion in cases in Scotland yet it’s hard to prosecute owners, who often claim the pup was like that when they got it.
“The current law contains a loophole, whereby our investigators really need to get early intelligence on puppies, to be able to get the proper evidence for convictions.”
The Kept Animals Bill also contained a provision that banned the import to the UK of any pup under six months old.
Campbell said: “Right now animals can be transported if they’re aged over 15 weeks and that is way too young, encouraging puppy farming.
“The proposed legislation was very much slanted at stopping people viewing puppies as commodities but it’s now all come to nothing.
“It’s a real shame because multiple Prime Ministers, in the last couple of years, have promoted the Kept Animals Bill.
“It was welcomed with such enthusiasm and praise then just dropped.”
Scottish SPCA chief inspector, Mike Flynn, said Scotland has seen a 300% rise in incidents in ear cropping incidents in three years.
“It’s incredibly disappointing that the Kept Animals Bill has been dropped by the UK Government, despite being a firm manifesto commitment and being backed by at least two Prime Ministers.
“As well as being a huge step backwards for the UK in terms of setting the standards for animal welfare, this will allow criminals to continue exploiting animals for their own gains.”
He added: “Ear cropping is a needless cosmetic procedure that inflicts horrendous suffering on dogs. It serves no purpose other than to make the animal look a certain way.
“Similarly the Bill would have increased the minimum age limit for puppies being imported to six months, reduced the number of pets someone can import to five animals and prevented the importation of pregnant dogs. All of those things would have made a huge dent in the low-welfare puppy trade.
“Animal welfare is a devolved matter in Scotland and we look forward to working with the Scottish Government to see if what proposals can be progressed separately in Scotland.
“Sadly, until similar legislation to the Kept Animal Bill is brought in, thousands of animals will continue to suffer because the UK Government has reneged on their commitments.”
The Kept Animals Bill also included a ban on exports abroad of live calves and sheep in cruel conditions for fattening and slaughter.
It created a specific offence of pet theft and banned the keeping of primates as pets.
During the Conservative Party leadership race, Rishi Sunak himself pledged to lead the measures.
The Bill had been a flagship piece of legislation for Boris Johnson.
UK border authorities recorded a 260 per cent increase in the number of puppies found not meeting UK import rules in 2020.
Pet theft has been rising sharply, particularly designer breeds like American and French bulldogs and Staffordshire bull terriers.
