SeBPRA’s request for Exemption
We are seeking an exemption in the secondary legislation of the Animal Welfare Bill to allow UK Charities to continue importing tail-less and previously docked adult rescue dogs via DEFRA-regulated commercial routes.
Why Our Work Should Continue
Every dog we home is fully health-tested, disease tested (incl Brucella, Leish, Heart worm and tick borne diseases (Anaplasma, Lyme disease & Ehrlichia)), fully vaccinated (incl rabies), wormed, neutered (unless exceptional circumstances) and microchipped. SeBPRA is a registered UK charity with transparent finances and lifetime rescue backup. Our strong relationships with adopter community enable us to support dogs throughout their lives through volunteering, educating, networking and fundraising. Our dogs’ chips are dual-registered to the Charity on entry to the UK, so they are traceable to us for life. We review and improve our processes at every opportunity, we go well beyond the legal requirements and would welcome increased legislation in this area.
SeBPRA do not contribute to UK shelter overcrowding. We provide lifetime backup so our dogs never become a burden for UK shelters.
SeBPRA do not compete with UK shelters. We are a breed rescue and bring in breeds of dogs very rarely seen in UK rescue. Those looking for Setters, Brittanys and Pointers generally have the choice of buying a puppy or rescuing a dog from abroad via one of the many well run rescues. The work of SeBPRA and other similar charities fills a unique welfare gap. SeBPRA adoption fees are far higher than typical UK rescue, this helps towards the high cost disease testing, health checks, vaccinating and commercially importing these dogs but also ensures we do not compete with local rescues.
Unwanted hunting dogs are a huge problem in Spain, these dogs are overbred and disposed of regularly. Sadly these breeds are not recognised as pets in Spain, they are not protected in law and are not perceived as a dog to adopt as a pet. These dogs may be abandoned, killed or left in shelters for their lifetime. In the UK, however, these gundogs are well loved and sought after.
Brittanys are often born tail-less or bobtailed, it would be hard at the border to differentiate these dogs from docked dogs, and so they could be needlessly refused entry. Tail-less breeds need recognition and guidelines to allow them to travel.
The UK already has a system of certification for docked working hunting dogs, we ask for parity. German Pointers and Brittanys may be docked for working purposes in the UK, we ask for equivalence for our rescue dogs. These are adult working dogs, previously docked for function not fashion and now needing homes.
Legally docked working breeds are clearly defined in UK law: “hunt point retrieve breeds of any type or combination of types, spaniels of any type or combination of types, terriers of any type or combination of types.”(Docking of Working Dogs’ Tails (England) Regulations 2007) Certification is compulsory for all legally docked working dogs. This system could easily extend to imported rescue dogs, providing:
- Certification for every imported docked and tail-less rescue dog to clarify status, to be entered on its microchip
- Mandatory documentation for enforcement
- Clear origin records held by DEFRA (Already exists via the Balai Directive which charities use)
- Traceability of each dog to a registered charity via dual registration microchip (Already exists and should be mandatory)
- No loophole for illegal docking
- It is fair, enforceable, and achievable.
We recognise that overseas rescue would benefit from clear and responsible regulation. We would welcome a framework or code of practice and the chance to work with DEFRA and other stakeholders to help shape it.
We believe the UK public supports an exemption for registered charities. People clearly distinguish between criminals who mutilate animals, and rescues saving already-harmed dogs. Our petition is gathering signatures rapidly.
