Today and tomorrow, 29^th-30^th September 2016, the EU Dog & Cat Alliance and its founding member Dogs Trust are taking part in and sponsoring the European Companion Animal Welfare and Protection Conference, taking place in Lithuania.

Over 150 participants, from multiple European countries will be attending at the event which aims to raise the standards of companion animal welfare and protection all over Europe by educating and provoking discussions about the development of companion animal welfare and its science.

The event will cover a multitude of EU wide topics from the issues around Puppy Farming, the illegal trade in dogs and cats in the EU, and the online sale of pets and will include presentations, panel discussions and forums.

Dogs Trust consultant Charlotte Speedy will be presenting on the illegal importation of puppies in the UK, which is an issue that Dogs Trust has been campaigning about for the last three years. Dogs Trust first highlighted the influx of illegally imported puppies from Central and Eastern Europe in November 2014, following a relaxation of the Pet Travel Scheme in 2012 which allowed younger pets to travel. An undercover investigation into the cruel trade revealed underage and unvaccinated puppies travelling illegally from Central and Eastern Europe to Great Britain destined to be sold online to unsuspecting members of the public. Vets and breeders were caught falsifying pet passports and vaccination documents while transporters admitted to subjecting puppies to horrendous journeys in the backs of vans.

The EU Dog & Cat Alliance has also recently launched a campaign calling for an Action Plan to tackle the illegal trade in dogs and cats in the EU, which has already gained support at the European Parliament.

Mark Beazley, CEO of Dogs Trust Ireland will be talking about the issue of puppy farming in Ireland, a subject that in the run up to Christmas and the Christmas puppy trade, is very prominent.

Simona Lipstaite, European Policy Advisor for the Alliance and Dogs Trust will be moderating discussions on these two topics on the second day of the conference.

For more information about the conference, please visit http://www.animalwelfareconference.eu/