I wasn't expecting this. I have to thank Michael Gove

[longwayoff]

From October, sale of puppies under 6 months from shops and puppy farms will be illegal. At last. I expect the unscrupulous breeders will find loopholes but hopefully this is progress and will stop some, or most of, this despicable trade. So thank you Michael Gove.

I have never seen puppies or kittens for sale in pet shops in this country. I always assumed it was already illegal.

Very definitely a good thing even if from a surprising source. His wife, Sarah Vine, has also started speaking out about trans rights taking over women's rights.

It is progress, but how it will be policed I have no idea. Puppy farmers, backyard breeders.... they all need licensing, but we lack the resources for it.

Definitely a move in the right direction. The difficulty will be policing the loop-holes. It wouldn't surprise me if puppy-farms started operating through their own "rescue centres" instead; with a very hefty "donation" for "rescuing" the farmed pup.

They also need to ban their sale through online marketplaces, as puppy-farmers commonly sell pups through well-known sites, presenting them as home-reared (even sometimes bringing in a stunt dam to fool purchasers).

But definitely a step in the right direction; well done, Michael.

Well, a step in the right direction but I can’t thank him really after all the shit he’s done. One right doesn’t stop his wrongs. So.. well done for being a twat only 99% of the time Michael

Any progress is progress. I agree that rescue centres should be brought into this legislation. Details of licensing in Guardian article, dont know how to link I'm sorry. Its not enough to make me vote for him though. A bit more compassion towards people wouldn't go amiss.

What else has he done think is good OP?

About time he got something right.

Here are links to BBC article:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-45266357

and Guardian:

www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/22/government-to-ban-unethical-puppy-and-kitten-farms-in-england

Great news. Maybe it will be a step in the right direction to acknowledge the millions of innocent farm animals that are slaughtered every year for food. They might not be as cute as puppies but their compacity to feel terror is the same.

I think this will cause as many problems as it stops. I think it’s I’ll thought out.

I agree that rescue centres should be brought into this legislation

Have you actually thought that through?

Spot the vegan, shoehorning something irrelevant into a thread 🙄

Ant legislation to try to stop puppy farms is a good thing. I’m not entirely sure how effective it will be given the lies they already spin to make the puppies look like a single home-bred litter though.

Monty I have a very low opinion of Mr Gove.

Soup Dragon, what's wrong with trying to eliminate all abuse? It's a good a time as any to try.

No Annie I haven't thought it through but I expect u to take full advantage of my ignorance and explain at length why it would make things immeasurably worse for the animals involved in this disgusting trade. Go ahead. The floor is yours.

Gove was a total menace in Education, but surprisingly good when he went to Justice.

I was delighted too, and had to remind myself that one good act doesn't wipe out all the other shite he's done.

There will be loopholes. The dog we bought was very likely from a puppy farm. I was naive but also scared and bought our dog. He’s great. No health issues. I took dd to a posh house and was fobbed off with a story of how our dog was separated from his mother because he was bought and returned by people, who couldn’t keep the dog as their landlord had told them they weren’t allowed pets. There were 4/5 adults in the house. It was a completely staged operation. The mother and other puppies were “at the stables”. I’m disabled and had a young child with me. I paid the money and left with our dog. Too scared to do otherwise.

Once I’d computed what had happened I tried to report them but they’d disappeared. Without a surname, how could I track him?

‘Expect’ all you like. Your rude post doesn’t inspire me to explain anything to you. Do your own critical thinking, it’s not too difficult, I’m sure you’ll get there in the end.

Annie. What is it about some animal lovers that can make some of them so hostile to other people? Have you thought that through?