Puppies Seized in Cairnryan Overnight

USPCA Welfare Officers play a key role in Operation Delphin, a multiagency initiative intended to bring an end to the illegal trade in pups.

It was USPCA intelligence played a key role to the seizure of a consignment of twenty pups by our colleagues in Scotland. The animals, which began life in puppy farms in the Republic of Ireland, were rescued in the port of Cairnryan having been ferried there by dealers using their route of choice through Northern Ireland. The puppies were clearly far too young to travel and were not accompanied by proper paperwork. The Twenty Puppies including one mother seized overnight included so called mixed designer’s breeds such as Cavichon’s and Chihuahua’s.

The USPCA along with colleagues in the SSPCA, DSCPA, ISPCA and the RSPCA along with other agencies and authorities including HMRC, Customs and Shipping Lines are committed to bringing an end to this unseen abuse of animals. Our Investigator assigned to Operation Delphin states:

“The loss of this consignment represents a hit of around £10,000 to the dealer. But coordinating successful rescues comes at a significant cost to this charity. This is the third such seizure in the past month with over 50 pups rescued from exploitation.

The more resources at our disposal the more effective we can be in ending the shameful suffering caused by the treatment of young pups as commodities and not as companion animals. Please help us shine a light on this unseen exploitation of vulnerable creatures taking place day and daily on our doorstep. Donations to the cause can be made through our website www.uspca.co.uk.”

The animals seized have now been vet checked and returned to the DSPCA in their country of origin. As you can see they are now in good hands and will be found caring homes.