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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will assess the potential merits of moving enforcement responsibilities from carriers to Government agencies in order better to tackle the illegal importation of puppies by way of the pet travel scheme.

Defra takes the issue of the illegal importation of puppies and abuse of the pet travel scheme seriously. All pet animals entering Great Britain on approved routes under European Union Pet Travel Scheme are subject to documentary and identity checks. These are performed by carrier’s staff or checkers acting on their behalf. The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) train and appoint carriers and pet animal checkers. APHA also undertake random audits. Audits carried out in 2015 identified only 1.3% of the animals checked to be non-compliant with pet travel rules. APHA work closely with carriers and pet animal checkers to address any issues identified and provide additional training as required.

We have no current plans to amend the arrangements for checking pet animals at the border. Defra is currently reviewing the operation of the Pet Travel Scheme in England and review includes the pet checking and carrier approval process. As part of the review the Department held a public consultation during the autumn of 2016. We are currently analysing the feedback from the consultation which will be published as part of the overall review in 2017. Since December 2015 APHA Port of Dover staff have been working in partnership with the Dogs Trust to identify, seize and quarantine underage puppies illegally transported into the country.