Illegally imported puppies come with great fiscal as well as emotional costs.

Hampshire County Council are urging people to be very careful about buying animals over the internet.

Conned 

The warning comes after four Hampshire families were conned into thinking that they were buying puppies from a legitimate website.

But the puppies turned out to be illegal imports from Eastern Europe and had to be quarantined, which was very distressing for the families as well as the young animals.

Fiscal cost as well as emotional

Not only did the families have to see their new, cute, little pet stripped away from them almost as soon as they got them into the house but there a painful fiscal cost as well as emotional.

Some of the families paid up to £1,000 and then had to endure the expensive costs of having their new dog in quarantine too.

Hampshire Trading Standards is advising that people double check these kind of online sales by asking to  view any puppy and its documents prior to purchasing and if that’s not possible then ask about the puppy’s history.

Ken Thornber is leader of the county council and spoke to Chris Craddock about his thoughts on the matter.