Documentary reveals the shocking cruelty of puppy farms to meet the growing demand for designer dogs
Bitches are being treated worse than battery-hens and produce unhealthy puppies that are taken away from them at four-weeks-old
A HARROWING new documentary has exposed the horrific way dogs are being treated in puppy farms to meet the growing demand for must-have breeds.
Bitches are being treated worse than battery-hens and produce unhealthy puppies that are taken away from them at four-weeks-old.
Tragically, the puppies often die within six months.
The BBC Three documentary reveals that often owners have no idea of the appalling way in which their beloved pet was brought into the world.
And social media is being blamed for the rise in demand for 'designer' dog breeds including pugs, French bulldogs and dachshunds, with many celebrities flaunting their miniature dogs on their Instagram accounts.
He said the charity is always investigating millions of pounds worth of dogs being trafficked into the UK and recounted a recent case in Manchester which led to the leaders of a puppy farming gang being jailed.
He said: "An estimated £1.2m worth of puppies were recovered - 95 in total - after a police raid of the home.
"We found puppies in buckets including a number of dead ones. It was a business based on the selling of sick dogs, it was cruelty on an industrial scale.
"They had thousands of dogs go through their house and many would get sick and die. They don't care, they are a commodity. They bring them in and sell them on as quickly as possible to make a profit."
Mr Briggs said the current maximum sentence for a crime such as this is six months and that is just isn't tough enough.
But the problems don't end at the puppy farm.
Many owners will find that after they have forked out the cash for their new designer pooch, they arrive beset with health problems and will require expensive vet treatment to survive and in some cases they die.
According the The Kennel Club, 20 per cent of puppies bought online dies within six months.
Grace spoke to one such buyer, Hayley, who reveals on the documentary that she was one of the people duped when she bought a puggle after responding to an advert online.