Almost 70 per cent of puppies caught being smuggled into Britain are pugs, bulldogs or French bulldogs, according to new figures that show how the fashion for snub-nosed designer dogs is fuelling the illegal puppy trade.
The figures, from charity the Dogs Trust, provide the first breakdown of the breeds being trafficked by criminals as part of an illegal industry that is believed to involve many thousands of animals every year.
The data confirm fears that the problem is being driven by huge demand for a handful of "cute" short-snouted breeds, on a scale that cannot be met by licensed breeders in the UK.
Legally, dogs cannot be imported under the age of 15 weeks, since younger animals cannot be properly vaccinated and risk spreading disease.
But charities say illegal dog breeders, primarily from eastern Europe, are bringing in much younger dogs – as little as eight weeks old - using fake pet passports with false ages, because smaller animals are seen as cuter and more desirable.
Since December, the Dogs Trust has been paying for the quarantining and rehoming of those dogs that are seized by officials at Dover or Folkestone.
Of 130 "underage" puppies seized so far, 32 were English bulldogs, 28 French bulldogs, and 30 pugs – all breeds with distinctive wrinkles and short muzzles.
Such dogs have become hugely popular in recent years, despite often being prone to breathing difficulties because of their face shapes.
Dachshunds, another fashionable breed, accounted for a further 28 of the animals. There were also nine chow chows, one Maltese terrier and two crossbreeds.
