Stray Dogs

(asked on 22nd January 2018) - View Source

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support work to re-home stray and abandoned dogs.


Answered by
George Eustice Portrait
George Eustice
This question was answered on 30th January 2018

The introduction of compulsory microchipping of all dogs in 2016 has greatly reduced the number of stray dogs needing rehoming, because the stray dog and their owner can now be quickly reunited. According to the Dogs Trust’s annual Stray Dogs Survey Report, the number of stray dogs has dropped from 126,000 in 2011 to just over 66,000 in 2017. In addition my Department has been working with the Pet Advertising Advisory Group (a group of animal welfare, pet industry and veterinary organisations) to promote more responsible advertising of pet animals, and to reduce impulse buying that so often leads to dogs being abandoned or handed in to re-homing charities. We are also updating the laws on the breeding and selling of dogs which will require all licensees to provide relevant information about pet ownership for prospective buyers, so that informed choices can be made before a purchase is made.

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