in the back

Dog's dinner
Puppy farms , Issue 1620
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BREEDING CONTEMPT: "Lucy's Law", named after Lucy the spaniel, fails to rein in unscrupulous puppy farmers
PUPPY farmers across the UK won't be losing any sleep over the new proposal to ban puppy imports into the UK.

The private members' bill has widespread support in parliament. But it only seeks to ban animals coming into the UK from abroad, so home-grown puppy farmers will still be free to sell their mass-produced dogs in the UK – or, if they want, export them worldwide. They can continue to house hundreds of dogs in questionable conditions, separate pups from their mothers and transport them anywhere.

Law flaw
As Eye 1541 detailed, a major flaw in what was known as "Lucy's Law" singularly failed to stop the sale of farmed puppies in the UK. Hence one massive farm in Northern Ireland was able to transport puppies to the mainland for purchase through licensed kennels and pet shops.

Then known as Furnish Kennels in County Tyrone, now the grandly titled UK Dog Breeding Academy, (UKDBA), it is still run by brothers David and John Hamilton. It now boasts 100-plus "quality stud dogs... who have the strongest genes and best physical traits", with an unknown number of bitches.

It claims to have invested heavily in its "state of the art" facilities and takes pride in its "ethically produced" happy dogs. It was planning to expand even further but has recently withdrawn an application after receiving a staggering 4,362 objections.

A breed apart
Nevertheless, the "academy" says it is "pleased to be offering new services to national and international customers including bespoke kennelling and reproduction".

The most recent accounts for UKDBA showed it held £1.2m cash with net assets of £4.9m from its money-spinning designer breeds. The brothers stand to trouser even more if foreign competition is removed.

More top stories in the latest issue:

CLOSING RANKS
A prison chaplain and two charities have been banned from one of the country's most squalid and overcrowded prisons.

HEAVY VETTING
When checks on food and animal product imports from the EU begin soon, the UK will feel the effect of a dysfunctional veterinary services business.

HARROWING VERDICTS
An inquest has heard how a woman with complex problems died after being sent home alone from a mental health unit despite having just self-harmed.

POWER PLAY
The deal that gave two businessmen effective control of the Tees regeneration scheme is also turning them into potentially well-paid power suppliers.

SOLAR FLARE-UPS
A major solar installer is suing some of its customers after they formed a small private Facebook group to swap tales and seek advice about problems.

MOLD SHOULDER
The police, fire and crime commissioner for Northants is to stand down after referring to the woman he wanted as his chief fire officer as a "bitch".

WINCHESTER TRIFLES
A university that boasts of its "commitment to sustainability and social justice" is closing its Institute for Climate and Social Justice due to financial constraints.

SYNOD'S OMISSION
The General Synod seems reluctant to accept Prof Alexis Jay's recommendation that safeguarding oversight should be handed to independent experts.

To read all these stories in full, please buy issue 1620 of Private Eye - you can subscribe here and have the magazine delivered to your home every fortnight.

Next issue on sale: 10th April 2024
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