To drive a 2 hour drive to collect a new puppy?

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So have found a puppy. Much awaited family pet to replace my two dogs that passed away. It's a 2 hour drive away though. I live in Scotland. Unsure if I'm allowed to collect her? Wouldn't be entering breeders home and social distancing would be stuck to. Or would I not be allowed and get fined if stopped? Obviously don't want to break the law but the breeder isn't able to keep on to her as this could go on for weeks/months yet

How exactly is a pet courier any safer? It's just adding another person into the mix.

I'd go snd get her. Gorgeous wee dot. If the breeder can't keep her then obviously it's essential you pick her up, she can hardly look after herself! I'd just fill the car up and take a drink/snack so I didn't need to stop snd as you've said, not go inside when you get there.

Have you chosen a name yet?

😱 I’ve just seen the picture! If I was you I’d leave immediately! She’s beautiful

We drove for two and a half hours, two weeks ago to collect our puppy.
Straight to the house,collected puppy, straight home again.
To be honest, I was a bit concerned but the amount of traffic on the motorway was unbelievable so I didn't feel quite so bad. The breeder had 10 dogs in his house, there's no way he could have held them all until the restrictions were relaxed, it wouldn't have been good for them.

Interesting post as we are thinking of getting a puppy.

pics are all amazing - puppy Kirkman though - ❤❤❤

Just go OP🐶

Is there more than one person in the family? If so, then one of you pays another one to collect the puppy. Then it's work that cannot be done from home and therefore is a reasonable excuse .

Disclaimer: A magistrate might agree with this argument. But I think it well highlights that the law's an ass.

How will anyone even know?
I went to visit my daughter the other week, which is allowed, but still, a 50 minute journey, half of it on the M8 through Glasgow and I didn't see a single police car.

might not agree I meant.

Damn why doesn't MN have an edit.

Not sure why it's ok for a breeder to travel but it's not ok for the buyer to.

OP - I can’t comment on legality etc but I’m also in Scotland. One of my colleagues has a sick mother in England. He drives down to see her / look after her house most weekends. He has not once been stopped by the police and hasn’t seen any evidence of patrols. My husband also drives quite a bit for work (essential) work - he also hasn’t been challenged.

I’m not condoning the actions of my colleague - just letting you know what he has told me.

Enjoy your new puppy x

Of course you can go and pick the puppy up

All these people saying a specialist company. That is cruel. To put a new puppy in a locked cage in the back of a van with other animals would cause it untold stress.

@shitinmyhandsandclap

Not sure why it's ok for a breeder to travel but it's not ok for the buyer to.

Because you’re allowed to travel for work if you cannot work from home, and if this is a proper breeder this is their job

Yes just go and collect her, this is not an unnecessary day trip! Just make sure you have some emails / paperwork handy to back up your reason for travelling. She's lovely!

@Parkmama

Yes just go and collect her, this is not an unnecessary day trip! Just make sure you have some emails / paperwork handy to back up your reason for travelling. She's lovely!

That would include statements from breeder why that cannot deliver and what the welfare detriment is, and evidence of non-availability of pet couriers at any point in the window the puppies are due to leave. Because you can collect only if the usual arrangements cannot apply (not that you just prefer otherwise) and that there is a clear welfare imperative.

OP asked about the actual regulations, not whether they are silly or should be broken

Can the breeder not meet you half way ?

Super cute puppy. I’d drive 20 hours to collect her.

Sorry, I have no idea of the laws or guidelines. A couple of friends got puppies recently and both used a pet courier service which worked out very well.

I'd be asking a lot more questions from the breeder especially as you said the pup was pricey.

Sounds suspicious to me. Plenty of puppy farmers out there disguised as pet breeders.
You're best off going through a breed club and asking for recommendations of breeders to ensure you can get a pup from parents with health testing (hips/eyes/elbows or whatever the breed requires). Also meet the parents before the pup to see what their temperament is like. The pup will likely inherit some behavioural traits so you don't want the pup to have the bad ones!

Please research more and ask the breeder about the x-rays off the parents. A health check is NOT good enough, you want evidence to show the parents are not predisposed to health issues.

If you ignore this advice then at least take out a good pet insurance policy that covers the pup for life and not per condition or per year otherwise you might not be covered and that would just be heartache.

It’s not allowed in Scotland. Jason Leitch answered that question last week on the radio.

If you are in Scotland you are under different regulations, stricter than here, I would get clarification if you can from the authorities if you want to avoid a fine. Even in England people are being fined much closer to home. Strictly speaking the breeder shouldn't be insisting you collect but animal care is an English exemption

Regardless why are you supporting twatty breeders cashing in on lockdown to make 3 x the price? Why are you even paying a stupid price? My dog was £850 her breed ate now selling for £3-5 k it's ridiculous.

And why are you justifying yourself by saying to "replace" your dogs that died you don't replace any pet.

@Maves
Oh for goodness sake, are you really going to pick on one specific word I used and use it to try and make me look bad? My two dogs were members of our family and their passing left a huge hole in our house. I meant to replace that gap not actually to replace the dogs we lost!! Not that I have to justify myself to you or anyone else. Is that really all you could contribute to this thread?

It's hardly essential travel, is it.

But sure, it's a cute ickle puppy so ignore the rules all you want.

I think if the breeder chooses to breed at this time they should have had plans in place for delivering puppies. Bad form to be honest