# “A Dog Brings Benefits No Matter Where It’s from”: UK Residents’ Understanding of the Benefits and Risks of Importing Puppies from Romania to the UK

## TL;DR

UK residents may not fully understand the risks of importing puppies from Romania, often perceiving them as equivalent to UK-bred puppies.

## Contribution

The study reveals limited public understanding of risks associated with importing EU puppies and how this benefits illegal traders.

## Key findings

- UK residents often perceive imported puppies as equivalent to UK-bred ones, underestimating associated risks.
- Perceived benefits of importing include rescuing dogs, similar to rescue dog adoption.
- Respondents showed confusion about diseases linked to imported puppies.

## Abstract

Each year, many puppies are imported from the European Union (EU) for sale in the United Kingdom (UK), often illegally. The EU puppy trade generates eyewatering profits and huge welfare issues but it is not known how well UK residents understand these, or what potential benefits they might see in owning an EU-born puppy. This study sought to fill that knowledge gap using a survey to capture UK residents’ understanding of the benefits and risks of imported puppies being brought to the UK from Romania, and the benefits and risks for their prospective owners of buying an imported puppy. Valid responses were received from n = 7184 respondents; 4000 relevant randomly selected free-text comments were coded. Our findings suggest that UK residents may hold a limited understanding of the nature and range of risks to both imported puppies and prospective owners and may be motivated to acquire one because they perceive them to be equivalent to purchasing a UK-bred puppy. The perceived benefits of “rescuing” an imported puppy appear to align with those described for imported rescue dogs. The UK public may underestimate the potential risks associated with buying a puppy bred in the EU which plays into the hands of illegal puppy traders.

The United Kingdom (UK) is a key market for puppy importation from the European Union (EU), as demand for puppies exceeds domestic supply. Many are illegally imported. Potential welfare risks to the puppies and negative impacts of these on their prospective owners are well documented, but UK residents’ perspectives on the trade are not. This study aimed to use an online survey to capture UK residents’ understanding of the benefits and risks to imported puppies of being imported from Romania for sale in the UK, and the benefits and risks of buying an imported puppy for their prospective owners. Eligible responses were collected from n = 7184 participants; 4000 randomly selected free-text comments underwent content analysis. Respondents displayed a limited understanding of the nature and range of risks potentially associated with puppy importation. Worryingly, many viewed an EU-born puppy as equivalent to one bred in the UK; others considered them as “rescued”. Synonyms used for non-endemic diseases that might be carried by the puppies varied widely, suggesting substantial confusion may exist on this topic. The UK public may underestimate the potential risks associated with buying a puppy bred in the EU, which plays into the hands of illegal puppy traders.