Without any warning in April this year, the government suspended the movement of cats, dogs and ferrets from Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, and Romania. For rescue organisations like Pennypaws Rescue this was a devastating development.
Originally the ban was for one month – but has now been extended to the 9th July 2022. The ban threatens the safety of dogs we are in the process of rescuing from appalling conditions in kill shelters in Romania, as well as driving small volunteer run rescue organisations like us to financial breaking point. Without rescue organisations more and more dogs will suffer in terrible coinditions. Whatever happens we are still working with our contacts in Romania to rescue dogs out there, and while the ban is in place we are now also rescuing dogs from Greece.
Pennypaws Rescue meticulously fulfills all the paperwork, conditions and vaccinations required by UK law to bring animals here. It makes no sense to ban dogs being rescued by us, and we desperately need the ban to be lifted on the 9th July or for animal rescue organisations to be exempted. There is genuine concern that the government will extend the ban indefinitely.
We desperately need the ban to be lifted on the 9th July but are very concerned that the government will extend the ban indefinitely.
What you can do to help lift the ban and save more dogs suffering in desperate conditions…
- Write to your MP – it’s really easy to do – all you need is your POSTCODE and this link: WriteToThem.com
- Sign the petition at change.org
- Write to, or call DEFRA – 03459 335577 defra.helpline@defra.gov.uk
- Write to the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Rural Affairs, access to nature and Biosecurity) The Rt Hon. the Lord Benyon email: benyonr@parliament.uk
- Write to the All-party Parliamentary Dog Advisory Welfare Group (APDAWG) https://apdawg.co.uk/
- Write to All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare admin@apgaw.org
