RSPCA – Buying and Importing Puppies

UK adults’ interest in buying puppies during lockdown and for Christmas, and their views of importing puppies from abroad

While three in ten (29%) UK adults owned a puppy or dog before the COVID-19 lockdown started in March, 9% have owned one since the lockdown started. This totals to one in five (38%) UK adults who say they currently own a puppy or dog.
Approaching a quarter (23%) of UK adults say they are interested in buying a new puppy or dog in the next 6 months. This compares to 12% who are likely to buy one for Christmas.
Two in five UK adults would buy a puppy or dog that had been bred and imported from another country (42%) or even smuggled from outside the UK (38%).
In contrast, four in five UK adults agree that puppies and dogs should not be smuggled between countries (79%) and that all puppies and dogs that are imported from other countries outside the UK should receive mandatory health screenings (78%).

Date Published: 10/12/2020

Categories: Public and communities | Social | UK

Client: RSPCA

Methodology

Savanta ComRes interviewed 2,173 UK adults online from 13th to 15th November 2020. Data were weighted to be demographically representative of the UK by age, gender, region and social grade. Savanta ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.