Look for ethical breeders when sourcing for puppies

Every year, many people welcome puppies into their homes, often sourced from overseas.

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These adorable companions bring joy and comfort, but sometimes, there is a darker side to this heart-warming picture that many overlook: There is an international puppy trade industry that too often prioritises profit over animal welfare.

PUPPY PRODUCTION IS OFTEN A BUSINESS Puppies are imported into Singapore for commercial sale. Several source nations, such as Ireland, are associated with the widespread existence of puppy farms, raising significant welfare concerns.

Puppy farms, or puppy mills, are mass breeding facilities where female dogs are used solely to produce litter after litter.

In many cases, the mothers live in harsh, isolated and unhygienic conditions, and without proper veterinary care, socialisation or rest between pregnancies. These dogs often live in cages for years, never experiencing freedom or affection.

When the puppies are born, they also begin life in deprivation. Taken from their mothers at a very young age, and often before they are emotionally and physically ready, these puppies are placed into the international pet trade.

Many are then flown long distances to countries like Singapore, enduring noisy, stressful environments, changes in temperature and unfamiliar handling.

Dogs are likely to struggle with transportation in adulthood if they lack positive exposure to it during the socialisation period of development (about three to 14 weeks of age). Exposure to certain stimuli and environments can have long-term and irreversible effects on later behaviour.

Britain has taken a stand against this kind of cruelty. In 2020, the British government introduced Lucy's Law, named after a rescued cavalier King Charles spaniel, who suffered years of neglect in a Welsh puppy farm.