Poll shows people want the Government to do more to tackle Puppy Smuggling

A poll carried out on behalf of Dogs Trust has shown that a vast majority of people in the UK think the Government should pass legislation that will prevent the illegal importation of dogs. The results have been revealed in the wake of the Government recently dropping the flagship Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill.

The survey, carried out by YouGov on behalf of the charity, revealed the level of concern about the illegal importation of dogs into the UK.

83% of respondents thought the Government should crack down on puppy smuggling; It also found that 79% of respondents supported a ban on the importation of heavily pregnant dogs. This is a widely used tactic of smugglers, who transport expectant mums often in horrific conditions across long distances to give a veneer of legitimacy when buyers ask to see a pup's mother, whilst passing the pups off as UK bred.

Dogs Trust has campaigned for over 10 years to stop the abhorrent puppy smuggling trade and has been urging the Government to make good on its manifesto promise to crack down on the issue.

The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill would have helped tackle problems including puppy smuggling, importation of heavily pregnant dogs and the importation of dogs with mutilations such as cropped ears to be sold in the UK, where the practice is banned. However, the Bill was recently dropped by the Government, 2 years after it first entered Parliament in June 2021.

Paula Boyden, Veterinary Director of Dogs Trust, says:- "This has gone on long enough. While the Government prevaricates, dogs are suffering in most dreadful ways. The Government must listen, do what the public is demanding and table urgently needed legislation to tackle the scourge of puppy smuggling and other abhorrent practices. To not do so is failing to deliver on a manifesto promise and allowing horrific pet abuses to continue. Dogs Trust is deeply disappointed by the dropping of this Bill and I urge the Government not to neglect the key issues that the Kept Animals Bill so critically addressed."

People who want to support Dogs Trust's efforts to tackle puppy smuggling can email the Prime Minister here.  Also please do let us know your thoughts on this news topic... Email our Newsroom at:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com or send us a message on:-  Mastodon, Facebook or Twitter.

UK wide funding boost for STEM learning opportunities in Schools

THE National Space Academy has announced its participation in Space to Learn, a new scheme funded by the UK Space Agency which is dedicated to improving access to STEM careers and learning opportunities for young people across the UK.

Since 2008, the National Space Academy has been delivering high quality curriculum focused masterclasses which use space as an inspirational context to excite the next generation about the possibilities offered by STEM subjects.

The Space to Learn project means that these opportunities, along with careers conferences and space camps, will now be offered to over 40,000 young people in all areas of the UK at no cost to the students or their Schools, removing barriers to opportunity and delivering programmes to Schools with a high number of disadvantaged students free of charge.

Dr Paul Bate, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency, said:- "As the UK's space ambitions increase, investing in STEM programmes is equally critical. We want to make sure that every young person across all communities can be inspired through space, imagining new possibilities and innovations to which they can contribute, drawing on their growing STEM knowledge, and having fun learning along the way."

David Wilkinson, National Space Academy General Manager, said:- "There has never been a more important time to enthuse the next generation in the STEM subjects. Young people are the greatest resource any country has. But we need to educate them and show them all the possibilities of the future. Space to Learn seeks to do that in in a truly inspiring way. The National Space Academy has a proven track record of education interventions that really make a difference. Thanks to the UK Space Agency we can now reach far more young people at no cost to Schools."

Schools across the country are invited to apply now for free masterclasses for students aged:- 11 to 19, to take place between:- September 2023 and March 2025, via:- NationalSpaceAcademy.Co.UK. The Space to Learn programme will channel £4.3 million UK Space Agency funding into 4 major educational projects.

Alongside the National Space Academy's series of 1,000 specialised masterclasses, careers conferences and camps, will be the Jon Egging Trust's Blue Skies initiative delivering 28,000 hours of space-related education resources to students, and the Association for Science and Discovery Centre's Our World From Space programme, exploring the relevance of UK space science for the future health and sustainability of our home planet. The funding will also help the European Space Education and Resource Office run its Space Inspirations scheme, which sees Regional volunteers from the space sector work with more than 1 million children across the UK.