Focus for Puppy Awareness Week
This year's Puppy Awareness Week (PAW) will aim to stop demand from the public for puppy farms, in an effort to eradicate the practice.
The Kennel Club, who runs PAW, says the focus should be to prevent the British public from funding the industry, which inadvertently encourages the breeding of sick puppies.
From September 7 to 14, the Kennel Club will raise awareness about puppy farming, explaining why steps should be taken to ensure puppies have been obtained from reputable breeders.
A study conducted by the Kennel Club found that only two in three puppy owners had taken responsible actions to make sure they hadn't bought a farmed puppy.
The organisation reported that, as a result, potentially more than 250,000 farmed puppies are being bought each year at prices ranging from £200 to more than £1,000.
"We want to reach out to puppy buyers and stop them handing money over to dog breeders who don't have a care about animal welfare," said Kennel Club's secretary, Caroline Kisko.
"We want to stress to people that they should never pay money to someone they suspect of being a puppy farmer, even if they think they are doing a good thing by rescuing the puppy from the situation.
"If this is the case, then people should call their local authority or the RSPCA instead."
Click here to find out more about PAW.
Two independent vets have launched a podcast to help owners strengthen their bond with pets. Dr Maggie Roberts and Dr Vanessa Howie, who have worked in both veterinary practice and major charities, are keen to use their experience to enable people to give pets a better life.
