The Scottish SPCA has seen many cases of puppies being kept in cramped, dirty conditions. “The pandemic and public demand for puppies has led to more reports to our animal helpline about unscrupulous dealers who want to make money fast with no regard for animal welfare. “Now, more than ever, we need to provide assurance for the public that they are buying a puppy from responsible breeders. The general public can view members of the scheme through our ‘Say no to Puppy Dealers’ website and look into buying a puppy safely from them.” The voluntary scheme is available to any dog breeder in Scotland and is free to join. The Scottish SPCA has developed a framework for responsible breeding and inspectors will assess applications and visit breeding premises annually to make sure high welfare standards are in place.