West Dunbartonshire MP Martin Docherty-Hughes is backing a campaign to stop illegal puppy smuggling.

The SNP politician joined representatives from Dogs Trust in Parliament to highlight the issues caused by the illegal puppy trade through the festive months after nearly 100 dogs were seized at the borders as dealers attempt to take advantage of increased demand.

Many of the puppies who do survive the difficult conditions they are forced to travel in are forced to receive emergency treatment on their arrival for conditions such as malnutrition and dehydration.

Mr Docherty-Hughes said: “I’m very pleased to support Dogs Trust in raising awareness of the plight of illegally imported puppies, who suffer the most harrowing of journeys at the hands of these unscrupulous dealers.

“It’s imperative that the UK government takes immediate action by enforcing proper checks at the ports and on-the-spot fines to deter these breeders and dealers, as well as introducing revised legislation as a priority when the UK leaves the EU. We really hope this will help to effectively regulate pet travel.”

Dogs Trust have issued advice to potential dog owners in West Dunbartonshire to highlight what to look out for, as well as urging people to do their research before purchasing a puppy or even considering a rehomed animal.

Adrian Burder, Dogs Trust CEO, said: “It’s a shame that we still have to remind people of our slogan, ‘A dog is for Life, not just for Christmas’ nearly 40 years on from its creation. We always encourage responsible rehoming, but as we’ve seen, dealers will go to great lengths to dupe innocent people, making it increasingly difficult for people to spot an illegally smuggled puppy.

“We can’t thank Martin Docherty-Hughes MP enough for his support, and we look forward to continuing to work together to tackle this issue, and make some much needed improvements in 2018 and when we leave the EU.”