LThe last reported case is that of a small dog illegally put up for sale in Cinisello Balsamo. But the illegal trafficking of puppies on the web, mostly from Eastern countries, is a scourge of our country. A scourge that the zoophile guards of the International Organization for the Protection of Animals (Oipa) have been fighting for years to cure. Often these puppies, snatched very young from their mothers, face terrible journeys crammed into vans. And then they come without even the compulsory vaccinations and with false documents and passportsto end up in the online sale.
The consequence is that many of these animals die or arrive ill from the unsuspecting buyer, who then has to take care of them, without being able to contest anything to the seller who, strangely, cannot be found after the purchase. Since 2010 there has been a law against the trafficking of puppies, which ratifies the Strasbourg Convention for the protection of pets and introduces the crime of “Illicit trafficking in pets”. The law provides an aggravating circumstance if the animals are less than 12 weeks old or if they come from certain countries. Like, for example, Eastern Europe, where there are greater dangers in terms of communicable diseases such as rabies.
Illegal trafficking of puppies on the web, a trap to unmask it
Thanks to the support of the carabinieri of Nova Milanese, the puppy put up for sale by the abusive seller of Cinisello Balsamo on the web (Subito.it) has been seized. And the man was fined an administrative fine of one thousand euros pursuant to art. 105 paragraph 1 letter e of the law of the Lombardy Region n. 33/2009.
The announcement with which a puppy was sold on the web (photo Oipa)
To unmask him it was necessary to set a trap for him. After a report, the Oipa guards in plain clothes met the seller, who he was found in a parking lot with a little dog about 60 days old. “After verifying that the dog he was not vaccinated or registered in the canine registry, we qualified. With the help of the carabinieri, we notified the sanction and seized the little one who, after a visit from a veterinarian, was hospitalized in the Fusi health kennel in Lissone», explains Fabio D’Aquila, from Oipa.
Online ads, be careful who sells
Oipa therefore recommends paying close attention to online announcements concerning the sale of animals (not just dogs and cats). Despite the adoption or sale of pets on the web is legal, very often these announcements can hide an illicit traffic. A crime punished with very severe penalties (imprisonment, high fine and confiscation of animals). Even buying animals online can result in the competition in such traffic.
To report possible tax violations, it is possible to contact the Guardia di Finanza directly on the telephone number 117 or via Pec. In case of suspicious situations or ill-treatment in Milan, write to [email protected]. For notifications throughout Italy, refer to the zoophilic guards.
“Don’t buy, adopt”
On the sidelines of the current news it is worth once again to reiterate the importance of conscious adoption. Opening the front door to an animal means welcoming a new member into the family.
Because of this Oipa discourages pet purchases and invites adoption. “Is exactly when a person chooses to buy a living being that the latter appears, in the eyes of those who buy but also those who sell, a product». A product that must have certain characteristics and which, if it does not meet expectations, will be abandoned. Informed adoption is something else: serious animal welfare associations committed on this front they always make sure that the adoptive family is well informed about their duties towards the animalbefore selling it (here the page of the animals looking for Oipa’s family). Not by chance. A puppy is not an object. And if she’s up for adoption, she’s often suffered enough already.