Flaws in pet trade (From Western Telegraph)

Flaws in pet trade

10:41am Wednesday 24th October 2012 in Letters

WITH reference to your recent report on October 17th regarding the animals left to starve in a flat in Pembroke Dock. This highlights once again the flaws in the pet trade.

Some people go to rescue centres when wanting a pet.

They still have to pay, as these centres have very high running costs and are also often full to bursting with neglected, abandoned animals, due to over-breeding and uncaring owners. Most centres examine potential buyers very carefully to make sure the animals go to suitable homes.

However, any idiot can go to a dealer and just buy a pet, or as usual these days a number of pets, with no knowledge of how to care for the animals properly or any potential for being a responsible owner.

These are living creatures that come to trust and rely on us and yet they are bought and sold with impunity, like cheap toys to be discarded on a whim. For this reason it is high time the pet trade became much more stringently regulated.

As mentioned previously, the number of dogs left alone barking for hours without ever being taken out is also increasing. Might it therefore be possible for dog wardens to at least investigate these incidents among their duties, thus helping to reduce some of the suffering, psychological or otherwise?

J. OXENHAM Cosheston