Hand in hand with a booming market in family pets, major trafficking in pets, especially dogs and cats, has developed in Europe. One Voice denounces this scandal.
Organised traffic
The illegal importing of puppies and kittens is a highly organised network that leaves nothing to chance. Documents are falsified by vets to enable animals, often much younger than the law authorises, to enter the territory. Pet shops and pseudo-breeders who make their customers believe that these are animals born on their farms, are also involved. These animals are transported under dubious conditions. The animals are piled up by the dozen in vehicles without water or food, often in complete darkness for hour after hour. They are usually in terrible health…
The route from the East
Most of these puppies and kittens are born in Eastern Europe in countries such as the Czech Republic, Hungary or Slovakia, on premises owned by suppliers who specialise in this very profitably type of traffic. The return on investment is also very high for the people in France who sell them, since the margin frequently exceeds 200% and sometimes even 500%! One of the major health problems caused by this type of traffic concerns rabies… Countries in Eastern Europe are often infected with rabies and puppies and kittens are not vaccinated. To reach France, they generally pass through Belgium or Spain, which are must less strict in terms of conditions for entering their territory. This is where new – but false – papers, European this time, are produced before they enter France. There are often real brokers who specialise in “pets” who act as intermediaries between the supplier and the final point of sale. Thanks to One Voice, one of the most significant of them was sentenced in 1999.
Fragile animals
Not all animals survive the long journey that takes them to France. Separated at a young age from their mother, without the vaccinations that are compulsory to cross borders (anyway, they are too young to be vaccinated), they are passed like goods from one intermediary to another. No precautions are taken to protect these puppies in any way. Their suffering during this long journey cannot be imagined, both physical and moral. The animals which arrive alive at pet shops or with “false breeders” have no chance of having a normal life due to the traumas to which they have been subjected. Most of them are ill and will not reach adulthood. As for the rest, they will develop behaviour problems that will cause their families despair.
The spotlight shines on this traffic
One Voice denounces this traffic that comes mainly from Eastern Europe. Thanks to its many investigations and prosecutions, this scandal has been revealed and the general public and authorities are aware of it.
DOG TRAFFICKING
One Voice reveals a European scandal
