PRICES of puppies in Wales have skyrocketed during lockdown, new figures show, prompting an appeal from animal charities to be on the lookout for exploitation of pups.
Popular breeds have seen sharp increases, selling for an average of £3,000 or more in Wales, according to figures produced from Pets4Homes.
Data reveals that English Bulldog’s proved to be the most expensive puppy to opt for in Wales costing £3,275 on average between April and August 2020. The same pups would cost just over £1,770 about 12 months prior, according to the figures.
Beagle puppies saw the biggest price jump nationally – with a pup costing just over £480 prior to the coronavirus lockdown in 2019. This year, beagles were sold for just under £1,740.
Here’s a breakdown with the 12-month difference in puppy prices across Wales:
Charity Dogs Trust says that with millions of people having to work from home the demand for puppies has soared during lockdown, with Google searches for ‘buy a puppy’ increasing by 166 per cent since lockdown was announced on March 23.
Dogs Trust’s veterinary director and chair of the Pet Advertising Advisory Group, Paula Boyden said: "It’s shocking to see how much dogs are being advertised for sale online and in particular how prices for some of the most popular smuggled breeds have increased during the coronavirus lockdown.
“While there are many responsible sellers out there, sadly there are plenty who are just looking to tug on the heartstrings and exploit the situation for their own profit.
"With puppies in such high demand, and selling for such high prices, it’s creating a lucrative market for cruel puppy smugglers and, sadly, we have rescued many dogs illegally imported into the country, destined to be sold during lockdown.
“It’s also creating a perfect storm for people to be Dogfished and scammed out of their hard-earned money.
"That is why it is so important to always see a pup with and interacting with their mum and to go and see them more than once. Never pay a deposit without seeing the puppy in person first and check all paperwork carefully. If something doesn’t seem right, as hard as it may be, walk away and report the seller."
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