Crowded and dirty puppy farms could soon be a thing of the past thanks to the work of a tech startup out of the United Kingdom.
Puppy farms have been a hot-button topic over the past month after the UK government stepped in to legislate against the unethical breeding practice.
Often breeders keep animals in filthy and cramped conditions and force some to be pregnant many times over, prompting environment secretary Michael Gove recently to announce a ban on third-party puppy and kitten sales in England.
“People who have a complete disregard for pet welfare will no longer be able to profit from this miserable trade” he said. “A ban on third party sales will ensure the nation’s much-loved pets get the right start in life.”
We're banning third-party sales of puppies and kittens in England to improve animal welfare standards. I’m determined to ensure that breeders are accountable and that unscrupulous puppy and kitten farms can no longer profit from their vile trade. pic.twitter.com/N8Csw1aIfO
— Theresa May (@theresa_may) August 22, 2018
The decision is music to the ears of tech startup Wuuff, who has been battling the practice online since 2016. The platform hosts responsible breeders who are verified and registered to advertise their animals for purchase. From there, breeders and potential buyers then have the chance meet and build trust before any purchase takes place.
According to their website, many puppy buyers continue to make the wrong choices when buying online. The service aims to bring transparency to the muddied waters of dog breeding and dog buying.
“Let’s face it, nowadays nearly all dog lovers starts their search for a puppy online. And that is why it is so important to learn all about a puppy, its parents and the breeder, in one place, and not make your decision based just on a cute photo,” the website reads.
“It’s time that bad breeders stopped benefiting when dog lovers choose online. Up to now, ads on high traffic, classified sites have been the norm, making it so hard to see a great breeder from a bad breeder.”
Wuuff customer Melanie Sawyer said the platform gave her the peace of mind to purchase a puppy ethically on the internet.
“[I’m] really happy I found a site that actually provides plenty of info about the puppy, and even about the parents and what the kennel is like. [It] made it so much easier to decide,” she said.
Government regulation will mean platforms like Wuuff should become the norm for legal, online dog buying in the United Kingdom. Theresa May’s government has signaled that online sellers will soon need to publish their licence number and the pet’s country of origin and country of residence.
Disclosure: This article includes a client of an Espacio portfolio company.
