CCTV cameras can crack down on cruelty at puppy farms, says security firm

The mandatory installation of CCTV cameras could prevent animal cruelty at puppy farms, a security firm has said.

CCTV.co.uk, which installs video surveillance systems, says dog and cat breeders who make money from selling puppies and kittens are still not regulated stringently enough under new laws introduced last year.

The RSPCA has long campaigned to introduce tougher regulations amid concerns at how animals are being treated for breeding purposes. The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals England) Regulations 2018 were introduced in October last year, to protect the wellbeing of animals at commercial puppy farms.

The new regulations state that any puppy farm that produces three or more litters, or generates profits of more than £1,000 per year from breeding, must obtain a licence from their local authority to operate.

However, CCTV.co.uk say that these laws will only protect the public from unknowingly buying mistreated animals, rather than protecting the animals too. Its solution is to enforce the fitting of 24-hour CCTV cameras, as this could help crack down on unscrupulous breeders who put profit before the welfare of dogs and cats.

“We need to allow both animal welfare campaigners and potential puppy owners see how they are treated behind closed doors,” said CCTV.co.uk spokesperson Jonathan Ratcliffe. “Allowing 24 hour remote access into these systems gives everyone complete trust in the new legislation.”

CCTV.co.uk believes that this solution will deter breeders from breaching the new regulations. The cameras could also provide evidence that leads to convictions should any breeders flout the regulations.

The new animal welfare regulations also stipulate: that breeders must show puppies alongside their mother before completing a sale; that puppy sales are completed in the presence of the new owner; a ban on selling puppies and kittens under the age of eight weeks; licensed sellers must provide a licence number and an animal’s country of origin and country of residence in any advert for sale; and introduce a new ‘star rating’ for dog breeders and pet shops so that people can rate their animal welfare standards.

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