The National Animal Welfare Trust (NAWT) recognises that whilst we would always prefer people to rehome a rescue dog, sometimes it is the right choice for a family to buy a puppy.
Our vision is that all puppies bred today are raised with the best animal welfare interests in mind so they arrive in their new home healthy and microchipped after spending their early weeks with their mum and siblings.
To help the plight of puppy farmed puppies, we’re asking everyone with an interest in animal welfare to sign our Puppy Pledge, whether you’ve ever bought a puppy or not. The pledge calls for people to understand the puppy buying process and the role microchipping plays in helping to curb irresponsible breeding.
No one can resist a cute puppy, so it is important to ask all the right questions before you even go to see the puppy. That’s because most people understandably find it hard to walk away from the purchase once they are holding a cute, fluffy bundle, especially if they think they are ‘rescuing’ it from a miserable environment. In reality they could be lining the dealer’s pockets and sentencing an exhausted breeding bitch to yet another litter of puppies.
Read the Puppy Pledge below and scroll down to make the Pledge.
Buyer beware – I will read the Puppy Buyer’s Checklist that gives advice on how to go about buying a happy, healthy puppy.
Check the Chip – I will ensure that the puppy we’re buying is microchipped and registered by the breeder on an approved database. When I buy the puppy I will transfer keepership into my name and will keep my details up to date on the database. If the seller cannot prove the microchip paperwork, then I will walk away. Watch our video on puppy microchipping.
Spread the Word – I will help other puppies by promoting the Puppy Pledge to my friends and sharing the campaign.
Help to share our campaign!
Read National Animal Welfare Trust's advice sheets on microchipping and lost dogs
If you support animal welfare, find out more about the work of NAWT here