DWYFOR Meirionnydd MP Liz Saville Roberts says tougher measures need to be implemented to clamp down on the dog-smuggling trade.

She warned that failure to tighten preventative procedures could increase the risk of dogs carrying the rabies virus entering the UK.

The Plaid Cymru MP called on the UK Government to take immediate steps to act on proposals put forward by the Dogs Trust to prevent the illegal trade of puppies such as sharing intelligence of those caught illegally importing puppies across agencies and extending the waiting period for rabies vaccination to six months.

Speaking in a Westminster Hall debate, Mrs Saville Roberts said: “The present system at UK ports is dependent on irregular spot checks and, primarily, on the honesty of whoever is transporting the puppy, who is responsible for scanning the animal’s microchip.

“There is no requirement that border control enforcers should look to see whether the puppy even resembles the details recorded on its microchip. It’s simple for unscrupulous dog importers to flout the law with the use of false microchips. Others dope and conceal puppies in boots of cars, happy to run the unlikely risk of random inspection.

“While some puppies were so ill they did not survive, many have been saved, socialised and found loving homes. This has been at great cost to the charity Dogs Trust, with one puppy requiring veterinary care costing £5,000; this sickly puppy was destined to be sold online, and its new owner would have been the one lumped with this hefty bill.

"All of this whilst the scheme receives no Government funding. I call on the government to respond to Dogs Trust proposed actions in relation to the Pet Travel Scheme.”