Investigations and prosecutions into illegal puppy breeding taken forward by local authorities in Wales has risen significantly.

The latest figures revealed by RSPCA Wales indicate that Welsh local authorities received almost 1,000 enquiries from concerned members of the public in 2020 and 2021 – with this figure having increased by 6.75 percent in the latter.

RSPCA Wales’ public affairs officer Billie-Jade Thomas said: “It is encouraging to see local authorities acting on information given to them by members of the public and may suggest that puppy purchasers are becoming more savvy and are listening to advice when it comes to puppy farms and breeders.

"But these figures demonstrate there's still significant issues with poor puppy breeding practices in Wales - and we're worried they may only be the tip of the iceberg.”

The RSPCA has urged the public to contact the local trading standards team, who are responsible for the licensing of breeders if they have any concerns over anyone selling puppies without a license. The RSPCA will assist when necessary if there is a welfare issue and support local authorities by rehoming animals that are rescued from illegal breeders.

Billie-Jade added: “While we’d always encourage people to adopt a rescue dog instead, we know that lots of families want to take on a puppy.  To help them ensure they find a responsible breeder who prioritises the health and welfare of the dogs we believe it is incredibly important that they use free tools such as the Puppy Contract.

“Good breeding and care can help ensure puppies and their parents have happy and healthy lives. Irresponsible breeding and poor care can cause health and behavioural problems in puppies and stress and expense for owners - and sadly these new statistics suggest this is still all too common in Wales.”