more humanity towards animals impact on the internal market and health risks of illegal breed and...

More Humanity towards Animals

IMPACT ON THE INTERNAL MARKETAND HEALTH RISKS

OF ILLEGAL BREED AND TRADE OF PUPPIES IN EUROPE

FOUR PAWS REPORT 2013

Lunch debate, European Parliament, 26th, November 2013

Mag. Irina Fronescu

FOUR PAWS International, Vienna


THE INVESTIGATION

• Starting point: FOUR PAWS campaign against illegal puppy trade

• Goal: Identifying EU trade links and networks with harmful or illegal practices

• Method: Visits of approximately 50 locations and interviews with dog traders and retailers

• Result: EU wide puppy trade out of control

19.04.23Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26th November

2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu2


EU PUPPY TRADE LINKS

19.04.23Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26th

November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu3


AVERAGE SELLING PRICES IN SELECTED MEMBER STATES




EU PUPPY PRODUCTION (E.G. HU)




PRODUCTION IN FIGURES (I)

Puppy production countries: Hungary, Slovakia (focus reports), Czech Republic, Poland, Romania > retailer (1) in HU:

a) keeping capacity of 300 dogs in a gathering facility b) delivers 400-800 puppies per month to Italian pet shops




PRODUCTION IN FIGURES (II)

> retailer (2) in HU: a) collection capacity of 500 dogs per day b) delivery collaboration with pet shops in The Netherlands c) replacement of transponders> presumably collaboration with organised crime




EXPORT PROFIT (HU-DE (HH))Position Costs per

dogTransport of 20 dogs

Transport of 260 dogs

Chihuahua 150 € 3.000 € 39.000 €

10% Commission 15 € 300 € 3.900 €

Passport and Chip 20 € 200 € 2.600 €

Veterinarian Charge 1,2 € 24 € 312 €

Total Price in HU 186,20 € 3.724 € 48.412 €

Transport for 20 dogs from HU to Hamburg

50 € 1.000 € 2.500 €

Average sales price in GER 1.000 € 20.000 € 260.000 €

Profit for trader in GER 763,80 € 15.276 € 209.088 €




DISTRIBUTION (NL TO DIVERSE SELLING

POINTS)




DISTRIBUTION TO OTHER MEMBER STATES (I)

Overview

•Hungary, Slovakia et al.: production countries

•The Netherlands and Romania: transit countries

•Austria, Belgium, Germany and Italy: main recipients




DISTRIBUTION TO OTHER MEMBER STATES (II)

Examples

•A distributor in The Netherlands– own kennel and 60 imported dogs in their

personal yard– resells to Belgium, France and Germany with

renewed papers and reimplanted transponders

•A distributor in Romania– Romanian veterinarian inquired by Italian police– imports from Hungary for Romanian pet shops

and exports to Italy– tax evasion, health risks, no vaccination




RESULT MARKET (I)

• High market prices in the main distribution countries generate high profits and create a win-win situation for breeders, traders, distributors and involved veterinarians

• Puppy trade operations have developed to an industrial level (up to 2.000 dogs per month from Hungary to Italy)




RESULT MARKET (II)

• Faked documents, delivered by veterinarians

• Traders try to improve their appearance, what makes it even more difficult to investigate (grey market)

• Illegal Puppy Trade is often linked to organised crime




ANIMAL HEALTH (I) Transport

Only 15% of the animals had valid documents

> 52% of the animals were sick > 34% of these sick animals were infected withendoparasites

> 23% with parvovirosis> 17% with fungal infections > 10% with distemper

(2008 ATA)




ANIMAL HEALTH (II)Online Trade

•20% mortality rate bought via internet under the age of six months•12% serious health problemswhile•94%, bought directly from serious breeders are in good health (UK Kennel Club, August 2013)




ANIMAL HEALTH (II)

Rabies •Recently two cases of rabies in The Netherlands by a puppy transport from Bulgaria•Veterinarians warn about the high risk of this zoonosis of imported Eastern European puppies (The Times, October 2013)




CONSUMER COMPLAINTS (I)

Country Website visitsRegistered

Puppy Trade Reports

Cases of sickness & recovery

Cases of sickness

resulting in death

Germany 4.705 68 16 8

Austria 3.444 74 13 7

Total 9.911 154 29 15




CONSUMER COMPLAINTS (II)COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: UNKNOWN




ONLINE TRADE COLLABORATIONS (1)

One month action by FOUR PAWS to get data

by 12 created fake puppy advertisments

•FOUR PAWS and „willhaben.at“ online action (AT)•14.600 clicks•530 direct requests•Lowest price registered most clicks




WEAK POINTS FOR THE CONSUMERS

• Missing contracts of sale and bills• Missing or incorrect transponders • Fake EU pet passports• High veterinary costs (in case of

sickness or death) • Difficulties of tracing dogs and sellers




LOOPHOLES FOR THE SELLERS

• Poor enforcement of national legislation

• Low and only financial penalties (mostly only administrative fines)

• Easy tax evasion




FIRST LEGAL CASES

• Luxemburg 10 October 2013, next trial expected

early 2014• Austria 28 November 2013 charges: commercial serious fraud,

cruelty against animals, causing an epidemic risk




CONCLUSION

• The market of Puppy trade has increased and professionalised

• The market is black and grey

• The market is out of control




CONCLUSIONNeeded:> Law enforcement and effective penalties > Informed, alert and responsible consumers> Mandatory licensed breeders > Alignments with online services And first of all to enable responsible ownership we need canine traceability via

Identification and Registration of all dogs in EU Member States



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