Just Before the Border

Strike against puppy mafia: customs free 30 dogs

Heartbreaking animal suffering in transport crates: These adorable puppies were rescued—along with other puppies—from the trunk of a car by local customs officials on the “Süd” highway near the border.(Bild: BMF Krone KREATIV,)

Border officials score a victory in the fight against unscrupulous dog traffickers. A Slovak man was stopped just before the Italian border—in his trunk were 30 neglected puppies, some from cruel breeding operations. The “Krone” also regularly exposes cases of illegal trade. But that’s just a drop in the bucket. 

While the “Krone” animal section fights just as tirelessly and successfully against the heartless trade in young animals, local customs officials made a major bust on the Südautobahn just before the Italian border at the Arnoldstein traffic checkpoint: Together with the police, they rescued 30 puppies—most of them in extremely poor health—from the trunk of a Slovakian’s car.

A Harrowing Journey
The small dogs—including spaniels, Maltese, and poodles, as well as breeds from so-called “torture breeding” operations such as miniature dachshunds and French bulldogs—were crammed into 12 transport crates in the car. The suspect (46), who had the corresponding pet passports with him, claimed to have paid just under 6,000 euros for the animals and intended to transport them to Algeria via Barcelona.

Not Old Enough
However, a veterinarian called to the scene determined, based on the absence of baby teeth, that the puppies were far too young to be transported. The adorable little rascals were subsequently seized and are now in quarantine.

Finance Minister Magnus Brunner thanked his officials: “Once again, it has been proven in a shocking way just how important the work of customs is—not only for the protection of us humans, but also for animals.”

It’s not just about protecting us humans, but also the animals. I thank the staff of the Austrian Customs Office, who do such important work in the fight against animal smugglers to prevent animal suffering.

Magnus Brunner, ÖVP Finanzminister

Puppies at Bargain Prices
The “Krone” animal section also investigates these issues and regularly uncovers cases of this kind. Just a few weeks ago, an illegal trade was uncovered in Lower Austria. The official veterinarian who was called in and the investigators were met with a heartbreaking scene: Pitiful whimpering, a foul stench, and a “breeder” who merely shrugged his shoulders. In addition to the poor living conditions, there were suspicions of worm infestations, eye infections, and the spread of disease due to what was likely a fake rabies vaccination.

The animals’ far too young age was grounds for immediate confiscation. In the harsh neon light of the basement, everything suddenly looked very different from what had been promised in the ad on a sales platform.  But putting a stop to these schemes is difficult—the high demand for trendy breeds drives the supply, and so dubious listings appear anew every day. For the authorities, it’s a never-ending battle.

Buyers, too, could face criminal charges. Ignorance is no defense!

Anyone who, to save money, buys dogs from car trunks, orders them on dubious online platforms, or has them shipped from abroad is accepting unnecessary, severe suffering—and could soon be committing a criminal offense thanks to a change in the law!

The Vienna Animal Welfare Ombudsman’s Office advises buyers instead to follow the WAU method—the animal-welfare-compliant 3-step plan for responsible dog ownership:

• Gainknowledgeand thoroughly research in advance
• Checkwhat’s availableat animal shelters, because many dogs—including purebreds—are waiting there for their owners
• Seeksupportin your search—animal welfare ombudsman offices and providers of training courses are available to offer advice and information on specific breeds

You should always ask to see the parents and their paperwork!

Animal suffering delivered to your doorstep with a click of the mouse
There is a shortage of staff to conduct inspections, and the masterminds behind these operations are becoming increasingly brazen and aggressive—after all, there’s a lot of money at stake. The “Krone” animal section reports on this regularly and has already uncovered many of these sad cases. This educational work is crucial, because by now everyone should know what to look out for when planning to buy a pet:

Maggie Entenfellner, editor-in-chief of the “Krone” animal section, also emphasizes in her commentary: The buyer has a responsibility!
Some people still don’t seem to realize what might be hiding behind seemingly innocuous online ads—or they simply don’t want to know. But anyone who turns a blind eye to this sad reality and buys animals from dubious sources shares the blame for the fact that dogs are being bred under catastrophic conditions in Eastern Europe and offered for sale on online portals.

The “Krone” isn’t standing idly by, and we will—despite attempts to intimidate us—continue to expose these mafia-like structures and rescue animals. After all, for the masterminds behind this, it’s all about the big money they make at the expense of defenseless animals and by fleecing naive buyers.

But the governing parties, too, are called upon to take action and should step up the fight against the illegal puppy trade. Animal Welfare Minister Rauch intends to make not only the trade in such animals but also their purchase a criminal offense in an upcoming amendment to the law. This is a long-overdue step, because a shift in mindset will only take place when buyers are also punished and made to pay the price. I wonder why the chancellor’s party has been dragging its feet and delaying action for so long.