Does the Welsh Government support Dogs Trust’s campaign to introduce visual checks at the UK border to help stop puppy smuggling?
All non-commercial dogs, cats and ferrets entering Great Britain on approved routes (every route other than ROI, NI and the Crown Dependencies) under the Pet Travel rules undergo full documentary and identity checks by authorised pet checkers.
Authorised pet checkers are trained by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and benefit from regular refresher training, to undertake these checks and identify and report potential non-compliances.
Approved carriers must perform individual visual checks on all pets at their port of departure outside GB. Checks include verifying the identity of the animal (including any apparent age discrepancies) and the welfare conditions of transport, in line with published guidance for approved carriers.
Commercial imports are already subject to physical checks which include detailed examinations and sampling as required. We are not currently proposing to introduce mandatory physical checks for pets, as identity checks include visual checks to ensure the animals match the documentation.