More Humanity towards Animals IMPACT ON THE INTERNAL MARKET AND HEALTH RISKS OF ILLEGAL BREED AND TRADE OF PUPPIES IN EUROPE FOUR PAWS REPORT 2013 Lunch debate, European Parliament, 26 th, November 2013 Mag. Irina Fronescu FOUR PAWS International, Vienna

More Humanity towards Animals 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 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 2

More Humanity towards Animals EU PUPPY TRADE LINKS Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 3

More Humanity towards Animals AVERAGE SELLING PRICES IN SELECTED MEMBER STATES Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 4

More Humanity towards Animals EU PUPPY PRODUCTION (E.G. HU) Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 5

More Humanity towards Animals 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 puppies per month to Italian pet shops Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 6

More Humanity towards Animals 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 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 7

More Humanity towards Animals EXPORT PROFIT (HU-DE (HH)) PositionCosts per dog Transport of 20 dogs Transport of 260 dogs Chihuahua150 €3.000 € € 10% Commission15 €300 €3.900 € Passport and Chip20 €200 €2.600 € Veterinarian Charge1,2 €24 €312 € Total Price in HU186,20 €3.724 € € Transport for 20 dogs from HU to Hamburg 50 €1.000 €2.500 € Average sales price in GER1.000 € € € Profit for trader in GER763,80 € € € Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 8

More Humanity towards Animals DISTRIBUTION (NL TO DIVERSE SELLING POINTS) Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 9

More Humanity towards Animals 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 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 10

More Humanity towards Animals 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 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 11

More Humanity towards Animals 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 dogs per month from Hungary to Italy) Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 12

More Humanity towards Animals 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 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 13

More Humanity towards Animals 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) Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 14

More Humanity towards Animals ANIMAL HEALTH (II) Online Trade 20% mortality rate bought via internet under the age of six months 12% serious health problems while 94%, bought directly from serious breeders are in good health (UK Kennel Club, August 2013) Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 15

More Humanity towards Animals 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) Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 16

More Humanity towards Animals CONSUMER COMPLAINTS (I) CountryWebsite visits Registered Puppy Trade Reports Cases of sickness & recovery Cases of sickness resulting in death Germany Austria Total Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 17

More Humanity towards Animals CONSUMER COMPLAINTS (II) COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: UNKNOWN Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 18

More Humanity towards Animals 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) clicks 530 direct requests Lowest price registered most clicks Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 19

More Humanity towards Animals 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 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 20

More Humanity towards Animals LOOPHOLES FOR THE SELLERS Poor enforcement of national legislation Low and only financial penalties (mostly only administrative fines) Easy tax evasion Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 21

More Humanity towards Animals 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 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 22

More Humanity towards Animals CONCLUSION The market of Puppy trade has increased and professionalised The market is black and grey The market is out of control Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 23

More Humanity towards Animals CONCLUSION Needed: > 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 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 24

More Humanity towards Animals Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 25