LAST week the Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, announced that he will be introducing a ban on third party puppy and kitten sales.

The ban will be come into force from October 1 and will help drive up animal welfare standards.

Buying a puppy is a process I recently went through – from buying from a registered and reputable dog breeder, integrating a puppy into your home, puppy training, and seeing the many benefits owning a dog can bring to a family that has never owned one before.

Pepper is now one year old and is a fantastic addition to the family!

However too many dogs are being brought up in appalling conditions, as the prominent ‘Lucy’s Law’ campaign has served to highlight.

Lucy was rescued from a puppy farm five years ago. She had epilepsy, a curved spine, and her hips had fused together after years of neglect.

The government announced their support for the campaign earlier this year, and Defra has been conducting a consultation since February.

New laws will tackle puppy farms head on.

Defra has published a consultation on an outright ban that will mean anyone looking to buy or adopt a puppy or kitten must either deal directly with the breeder or with one of the nation’s many animal rehoming centres.

Defra has been focusing on a range of issues, including the early separation of puppies and kittens from their mothers, their introduction to new and unfamiliar environments and the increased likelihood of multiple journeys the puppies or kittens have to undertake.

The ban is part of a series of government reforms on pet welfare including banning the sale of underage puppies and kittens and tackling the breeding of dogs with severe genetic disorders.

New laws will ban licensed sellers from dealing in puppies and kittens under the age of eight weeks and tighten the compulsory licensing of anyone in the business of breeding and selling dogs.

As part its animal welfare reform programme, the government is also bringing in higher maximum sentences of up to five years for animal abusers – the toughest sentencing in Europe.

This is the latest in a range of new animal welfare laws announced by Defra and I am very pleased to see the Environment Secretary taking this issue so seriously.