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 SEAACA officers took part in a census operation
at both San Diego area border crossings as part of a multi-agency
investigation into puppy smuggling allegations. Fourteen animal law
enforcement agencies and three health agencies formed the Border
Puppy Task Force (BPTF) in early 2005 to address this growing and
disturbing trend. Animal law enforcement officers worked alongside
Customs and Border Protection agents for a two-week period in
December, 2005 examining animals brought over from Mexico then
documented their findings. Over 500 puppies were examined during
this operation, most huddled together in cardboard boxes, in car
trunks or wrapped in towels and stuffed under seats. A total of 1579
animals were examined during this two-week operation.
Animal law enforcement agencies throughout
California are aware of the disturbing practice of buying puppies
cheap across the border and selling them here in California. Many of
these toy breed pups are ill and end of dying a short time after
being sold to unsuspecting buyers. Most are not vaccinated which
poses a serious health risk here in California.
The BPTF announced at a recent press conference
that this is Phase-One of a comprehensive plan to deal with this
issue. However, buyers must be cautious and exercise restraint and
common sense when considering the purchase of a puppy. Never buy a
puppy:
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Where you're asked to
meet the seller in a parking lot or at a park.
Unscrupulous
sellers or brokers do not want you to know where they
live, so they frequently will ask that you meet them
somewhere else.
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Where the only payment
accepted is cash.
You cannot
trace the transaction when you pay with cash.
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Without seeing credible
vaccination and/or veterinary examination paperwork. Know
how to age a puppy prior to your search.
The task
force noticed that many of the very young (unweaned)
puppies were being misrepresented as 10 weeks or older
when they were (in reality) only four to five weeks of
age.
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Animal
Law Enforcement & Rescue
