Simon Kirby, MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, this week attended the launch of the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home’s campaign to tackle backstreet breeding and show his support for the welfare of puppies and their mothers.
ON Monday, Mr Kirby was invited to attend the launch of the new campaign, which urges prospective dog owners to think twice about how they buy a dog, in an attempt to crack down on the horrific practice of backstreet dog breeding.
He has joined the charity in calling for a complete ban on the sale of puppies under eight weeks old and the introduction of a breeding licence requirement for any household producing two or more litters per year.
Mr Kirby said: “With backstreet breeding happening in neighbourhoods across the UK, it’s important we work hard to increase public awareness of this issue. Dogs used in backstreet breeding endure a miserable life, often producing countless litters before being turfed out on to the street once they have served their purpose. This needs to end.”
Following his attendance at the campaign launch on Monday, Mr Kirby arranged and attended a meeting with PupAid’s Marc Abraham and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for farming, food and marine environment George Eustice MP, to discuss how they can work to end the cruel and unnecessary practice of puppy farming.
Last year Mr Kirby spoke out strongly in support of this campaign in the House of Commons, and he arranged Tuesday’s meeting in order to make sure the issue remained firmly on the Government’s agenda.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Kirby said: “I have been a strong and open supporter of the PupAid campaign from the start, and I am determined to work as hard as I can to see an end to this cruel practice.
“I am delighted with the progress that we have made on this so far, with last year’s debate in Parliament on it, and now the meeting earlier this week. I hope that we will continue to see more progress in the coming weeks and months, so that we can say goodbye to puppy farming once and for all.
“I am proud of my record on animal welfare and I hope that, through the work I have been involved with, we will begin to see improvements to the welfare of dogs and puppies all across the UK.”
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