Illegal Canine Traders

It is unlikely that the excited young recipient of a cute and cuddly Christmas puppy will ask where the little bundle of festive joy came from and whether it was treated humanely on its way to the stocking. These, however, are the exact questions parents should be asking if they are considering buying an animal as a present.

The common pitfalls of giving pets at Christmas are well known: the initial excitement wears off quickly for the recipient, leaving the parents to deal with the less fun aspect of having to look after the animal or find a new home for it. Sometimes the easiest but most irresponsible way out is to leave the unwanted pet by the side of the motorway.

But there are other consequences which have to be considered by those who have accepted the responsibility of bringing a pet into the family at Christmas. Parents should be aware that an unscrupulous and criminal element has developed a market for puppy trafficking; an enterprise which cares little for the welfare of the animal.

Demand for cheap pedigrees fuels trade

A sharp increase in puppy-boot sales on the borders of Germany and Austria and discount pets available via the internet has authorities and activists up in arms. The fear is that, with the demand for cheap but pedigree dogs on the increase, dogs are being bred for the Christmas market not by experienced breeders but in dog-factories in Eastern Europe.

"Dogs are bred under circumstances unimaginable to any serious breeder," Katja Wolf from Austria's cynology association told DPA. "The dealers regard the animals just as merchandise. It is dirty and the animals contract all sorts of illnesses. If a bitch cannot have any more offspring or there are complications, they are simply killed."

As many as 30 puppies at a time are ferried across the border in car boots by the dog-mafia to be sold in the parking lots of shopping centers, often for one-tenth of the price charged by registered breeders, officials believe.

"You can get a Golden Retriever puppy for about 150 euros, normally a Golden would set you back 1,500 or 2,000," Wolf said.

These young animals are often very ill and suffer greatly due to early separation from their mothers, long transport and poor keeping. Those which are not bought face being killed by the dealers.

"The dog is only worthwhile for them as long as it is small and cute -- and that lasts only a few weeks after birth," Wolf said.

Amended laws offset by open borders

Animal rights' activists estimate that around 30 carloads of illegal puppies without papers and the EU-wide mandatory vaccinations and microchips reach Austria alone every day, a number which is expected to increase now that the Schengen border controls have been lifted in many Eastern European countries.

Austria has reacted by amending its animal protection legislation in mid-December, banning the sale of animals in public places without prior authorization from January 2008, but disillusioned campaigners fear the law will not be enough.

As well as the usual advice of sleeping on the decision to buy a dog for Christmas, animal welfare groups are now advising parents to buy from a registered breeder or adopt an animal from a shelter to avoid fuelling the illegal trade.

Parents are also advised to make sure animals are vaccinated and microchipped while potential dog owners should visit the litter several times to get a proper impression of their prospective pet. The bitch and the pups should show friendly behavior and look healthy and clean. Puppies should be at least eight weeks old before they are separated from their mothers.

Activists say that the dealers should take only part of the blame. The illegal trade is a buyers' market that would not exist if people were not willing to buy from unregistered and clearly illegal sources.