Puppy trafficking in Europe run by ‘organised mafia’

During the coronavirus pandemic, many Europeans adopted a pet to make lockdown more enjoyable. Last year in Germany, 20 percent more dogs were bought than in 2019. But professional breeders could not keep up with demand and shadowy people stepped in, offering puppies for lower prices and immediate delivery online.

Animal rights activist Stefan Klippstein, who regularly sets traps for smugglers, tells broadcaster France 24 that 50,000 puppies are shipped into the European Union each week.

“It’s not a little puppy farm business, it’s a real organised mafia and sadly Germany is the main market for these puppies,” he says.