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Your support makes all the difference.Boris Johnson and his girlfriend Carrie Symonds have welcomed a 15-week-old rescue puppy into their home on Downing Street.
On Monday, the Jack Russell arrived at Johnson’s flat above number 11 Downing Street, being transported in a red pet carrier by TV vet, Marc Abraham.
The puppy, whose name has not yet been revealed, had been abandoned by puppy farmers in Wales over concerns its misaligned jaw would mean it might never find a home.
The dog was initially rescued by Eileen Jones, the founder of Friends of Animals Wales (FOAW), a small volunteer-run rescue shelter based in the valleys of South Wales that specialises in rescuing and rehabilitating sick and discarded farm dogs.
Downing Street has confirmed that Johnson and Symonds chose to adopt a rescue puppy in a bid to raise awareness of animal welfare, specifically a new strict anti-puppy farming legislation which comes into force next April.
The legislation, known as Lucy’s Law, will ban the sale of puppies and kittens by third parties and ensure that anyone buying or adopting one under six months old deals directly with the breeder or an animal re-homing centre, rather than a pet shop or commercial dealer.
The law has been named after Lucy, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel who died in 2016 after being poorly treated on a puppy farm.
Speaking to the BBC, Abraham said Johnson and Symonds thought it was important to “shine a light” on the work being carried out by Jones at FOAW.
“It's entirely voluntary with huge vets bills so they only rescue and rehabilitate the ones with the most problems,” Abraham explained.
"When I was speaking to Carrie about what dog to get and where to get it from, she gets it. She is a massive supporter of the Lucy's Law campaign.
“Carrie and Boris are helping to get a very, very vulnerable dog that's otherwise likely to be killed. They are both massive dog lovers.”
In a statement, the FOAW shared its delight that the puppy had found a new home with “people who absolutely adore him”.
“This little man will want for nothing in his life, what could be better than that?” FOAW said.
"We would like to thank Carrie and the prime minister for opening their hearts and their home to a puppy-farm survivor."
The puppy will be starting his new life just one door down from Larry the cat who has lived at 10 Downing Street since 2011.
Then a four-year-old stray picked up by former Prime Minister David Cameron from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, Larry is now onto his third Prime Minister.
The cat is officially known as the Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office and, according to the government, his official duties include "inspecting security defences, testing antique furniture for napping quality and contemplating a solution to the mouse occupancy of the house".
A spokesperson for Downing Street said the new puppy had "probably" been introduced to Larry before his arrival, however this has not been confirmed.
Lucy's Law will be rolled out in England on 6 April 2020. The Welsh Government has also confirmed it will adopt the law, however no official date has been set.
The Independent has contacted Downing Street for comment.
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