Smuggled Dogs Seized at Borders - Find a freedom of information request

Please could you provide with the following information regarding the number of smuggled dogs seized at UK borders:

1. The number of reports you have received, either from the public or anyone else, in relation to the suspected illegal importation of puppies? Please provide the figures for each year since January 2016, as well as the latest data you have for 2021.

2. Please confirm how many of these reports have been investigated further. Please provide the figures for each year.

3. Over the same period, broken down by year, a) how many puppies were seized by Trading Standards on suspicion that they were in breach of the Rabies Order 1974; and b) how many of these puppies were subsequently quarantined?

4. Over the same period, broken down by year, how many prosecutions has the Local Authority carried out in relation to illegally imported puppies under either a) the Rabies Order 1974 or b) The Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals Order 2011)?

1. The figures below contain reports of suspected illegal importations of puppies/dogs, whether that be notifications from consumers, vets, the Animal and Plant Health Authority (APHA) or other agencies. Notifications from APHA in the main relate to breaches of the Trade in Animal and Related Products Regulations 2011 - relating to animals imported where no notification of the consignment has been made to the Secretary of State.

• 2016 - 34
• 2017 - 19
• 2018 - 7
• 2019 - 4
• 2020 - 4
• 2021 – 2

2. All reports of illegally landed dogs are investigated due to the disease risk.

3.

• 2016 - 2
• 2017 - 1
• 2018 - 2
• 2019 - 1
• 2020 - 0
• 2021 – 0

4. None