Open Letter Pdf Download

Dear Club Secretaries,

 

We are writing to provide you with further details regarding the upcoming Animal Welfare Bill and how, as an Import Breeder, you can help, with support from us at the Kennel Club, to prevent an outright ban on the importation of puppies under six months of age.

Time is of the essence, as the second reading of the Bill is scheduled for 29 November 2024. We’ve had a meeting with Dr Danny Chambers, the MP introducing the Bill, to express our concern that while we fully support its aim to combat the illegal puppy trade, a blanket ban could severely impact breeds like yours that rely on puppy imports to expand the gene pool and maintain the health of these breeds in the UK. Our objective is not to ask the MP to abandon the Bill, it has broad cross-party support and is likely to pass in some form, but rather to advocate for a controlled framework that would enable responsible importers to continue importing puppies in a way that protects and improves the health of our dog breeds. This approach could be implemented without compromising the Bill’s core goal of tackling low-welfare puppy smuggling.

We are suggesting two actions from you which should take you no more than 10 minutes: 

1. We urgently need as many people as possible to contact their local MPs by email, expressing our concerns and requesting the inclusion of a mechanism that would allow certain puppy imports to continue. On our campaigns page, we’ve provided a draft email that members can customize and send to their MPs.

 

Please use the MP letter version here: https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/about-us/campaigns/puppy-imports/

 

To find out who your local MP is and how to contact them, members can use this link: https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP

 

It is crucial that Dr Danny Chambers is copied in on all emails sent to MPs at danny.chambers.mp@parliament.uk and the Animal Welfare Minister Baroness Sue Hayman at correspondence.section@defra.gov.uk.

 

Please include your full address at the end of the email. MPs will not respond to communications that lack this information.

 

2. we are also sending an open letter to the Animal Welfare Minister – can you please confirm by Tuesday 26^th November that you’re happy for your name to be included on the attached?

 

If you have any questions or require further details, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

 

Kind Regards, 

Helen

 

 

Helen Kenward

 

Public Affairs Department

The Kennel Club
10 Clarges Street London W1J 8AB

thekennelclub.org.uk/campaigns

@KC_Political

Please note my working days are Tuesday-Friday.