IMPACT ON THE INTERNAL MARKET AND HEALTH RISKS

IMPACT ON THE INTERNAL MARKET AND HEALTH RISKS OF ILLEGAL BREED AND TRADE OF PUPPIES IN EUROPE FOUR PAWS REPORT 2013 LUNCH DEBATE, EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, 26 TH, NOVEMBER 2013 MAG. IRINA FRONESCU FOUR PAWS INTERNATIONAL, VIENNA More Humanity towards Animals

THE INVESTIGATION • Starting point: FOUR PAWS campaign against illegal puppy trade • Goal: Identifying EU trade links and networks with harmful or illegal practices • Method: Visits of approximately 50 locations and interviews with dog traders and retailers • Result: EU wide puppy trade out of control More Humanity towards Animals 3/17/2018 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26 th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 2

EU PUPPY TRADE LINKS More Humanity towards Animals 3/17/2018 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26 th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 3

AVERAGE SELLING PRICES IN SELECTED MEMBER STATES More Humanity towards Animals 3/17/2018 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26 th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 4

EU PUPPY PRODUCTION (E. G. HU) More Humanity towards Animals 3/17/2018 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26 th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 5

PRODUCTION IN FIGURES (I) Puppy production countries: Hungary, Slovakia (focus reports), Czech Republic, Poland, Romania > retailer (1) in HU: a) keeping capacity of 300 dogs in a gathering facility b) delivers 400 -800 puppies per month to Italian pet shops More Humanity towards Animals 3/17/2018 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26 th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 6

PRODUCTION IN FIGURES (II) > retailer (2) in HU: a) collection capacity of 500 dogs per day b) delivery collaboration with pet shops in The Netherlands c) replacement of transponders > presumably collaboration with organised crime More Humanity towards Animals 3/17/2018 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26 th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 7

EXPORT PROFIT (HU-DE (HH)) Position Costs per dog Transport of 20 dogs Transport of 260 dogs Chihuahua 150 € 3. 000 € 39. 000 € 10% Commission 15 € 300 € 3. 900 € Passport and Chip 20 € 200 € 2. 600 € Veterinarian Charge 1, 2 € 24 € 312 € Total Price in HU 186, 20 € 3. 724 € 48. 412 € Transport for 20 dogs from HU to Hamburg Average sales price in GER 50 € 1. 000 € 2. 500 € 1. 000 € 20. 000 € 260. 000 € Profit for trader in GER 763, 80 € 15. 276 € 209. 088 € More Humanity towards Animals 3/17/2018 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26 th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 8

DISTRIBUTION (NL TO DIVERSE SELLING POINTS) More Humanity towards Animals 3/17/2018 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26 th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 9

DISTRIBUTION TO OTHER MEMBER STATES (I) Overview • Hungary, Slovakia et al. : production countries • The Netherlands and Romania: transit countries • Austria, Belgium, Germany and Italy: main recipients More Humanity towards Animals 3/17/2018 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26 th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 10

DISTRIBUTION TO OTHER MEMBER STATES (II) Examples • A distributor in The Netherlands – own kennel and 60 imported dogs in their personal yard – resells to Belgium, France and Germany with renewed papers and reimplanted transponders • A distributor in Romania – Romanian veterinarian inquired by Italian police – imports from Hungary for Romanian pet shops and exports to Italy – tax evasion, health risks, no vaccination More Humanity towards Animals 3/17/2018 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26 th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 11

RESULT MARKET (I) • High market prices in the main distribution countries generate high profits and create a win-win situation for breeders, traders, distributors and involved veterinarians • Puppy trade operations have developed to an industrial level (up to 2. 000 dogs per month from Hungary to Italy) More Humanity towards Animals 3/17/2018 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26 th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 12

RESULT MARKET (II) • Faked documents, delivered by veterinarians • Traders try to improve their appearance, what makes it even more difficult to investigate (grey market) • Illegal Puppy Trade is often linked to organised crime More Humanity towards Animals 3/17/2018 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26 th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 13

ANIMAL HEALTH (I) Transport Only 15% of the animals had valid documents > 52% of the animals were sick > 34% of these sick animals were infected withendoparasites > 23% with parvovirosis > 17% with fungal infections > 10% with distemper (2008 ATA) More Humanity towards Animals 3/17/2018 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26 th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 14

ANIMAL HEALTH (II) Online Trade • 20% mortality rate bought via internet under the age of six months • 12% serious health problems while • 94%, bought directly from serious breeders are in good health (UK Kennel Club, August 2013) More Humanity towards Animals 3/17/2018 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26 th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 15

ANIMAL HEALTH (II) Rabies • Recently two cases of rabies in The Netherlands by a puppy transport from Bulgaria • Veterinarians warn about the high risk of this zoonosis of imported Eastern European puppies (The Times, October 2013) More Humanity towards Animals 3/17/2018 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26 th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 16

CONSUMER COMPLAINTS (I) Cases of sickness & recovery Cases of sickness resulting in death Country Website visits Registered Puppy Trade Reports Germany 4. 705 68 16 8 Austria 3. 444 74 13 7 Total 9. 911 154 29 15 More Humanity towards Animals 3/17/2018 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26 th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 17

CONSUMER COMPLAINTS (II) COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: UNKNOWN More Humanity towards Animals 3/17/2018 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26 th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 18

ONLINE TRADE COLLABORATIONS (1) One month action by FOUR PAWS to get data by 12 created fake puppy advertisments • FOUR PAWS and „willhaben. at“ online action (AT) • 14. 600 clicks • 530 direct requests • Lowest price registered most clicks More Humanity towards Animals 3/17/2018 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26 th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 19

WEAK POINTS FOR THE CONSUMERS • • Missing contracts of sale and bills Missing or incorrect transponders Fake EU pet passports High veterinary costs (in case of sickness or death) • Difficulties of tracing dogs and sellers More Humanity towards Animals 3/17/2018 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26 th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 20

LOOPHOLES FOR THE SELLERS • Poor enforcement of national legislation • Low and only financial penalties (mostly only administrative fines) • Easy tax evasion More Humanity towards Animals 3/17/2018 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26 th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 21

FIRST LEGAL CASES • Luxemburg 10 October 2013, next trial expected early 2014 • Austria 28 November 2013 charges: commercial serious fraud, cruelty against animals, causing an epidemic risk More Humanity towards Animals 3/17/2018 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26 th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 22

CONCLUSION • The market of Puppy trade has increased and professionalised • The market is black and grey • The market is out of control More Humanity towards Animals 3/17/2018 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26 th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 23

CONCLUSION Needed: > Law enforcement and effective penalties > Informed, alert and responsible consumers > Mandatory licensed breeders > Alignments with online services And first of all to enable responsible ownership we need canine traceability via Identification and Registration of all dogs in EU Member States More Humanity towards Animals 3/17/2018 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26 th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 24

More Humanity towards Animals 3/17/2018 Illegal Puppy Trade in Europe, 26 th November 2013, Brussels, Irina Fronescu 25