What is ‘Reggie’s Law’?
Justice for Reggie is a campaign calling for the regulation of online sales of pets – Reggie’s Law. The petition, calls on the UK government
- to introduce regulation of all websites where animals are sold.
- For websites to be required to verify the identity of all sellers and
- for young animals ‘for sale’ pictures with their parents to be posted with all listings.
Started by Richard Ackers, the campaign has gained considerable and widespread support. Richard’s story is a painful one. It is also not an uncommon one sadly. His family bought a puppy using an online selling site. They asked various questions, were reassured by the answers, saw the puppy – Reggie – and bought him. A few days later Reggie was dead. His short life was one of pain and suffering.
Reggie was born into a world, a society, where money is more important than the lives of puppies and their parents. A world where pet selling sites exploit the huge demand there is for puppies. Where so much money is made every day, in every corner of the UK, from selling puppies that it is beyond immoral. The authorities know all about the scale and depth of suffering in the puppy business. The pet selling sites know it too. Yet, year after year, the industry expands.
Deaths of puppies like Reggie are happening right now as I write this. They will happen tomorrow. And the day after, and the day after. I have been writing about this for almost a decade and I have seen no real improvements for dogs in the breeding industry. I have seen changes in legislation. I have backed calls for changes in legislation. I am now backing the Justice For Reggie campaign. I want it to be in place sooner, not later. Not after endless rounds of consultations. Where those who know about these things identify what is needed and get ignored. Where politicians are told – again – what the loopholes are that need to be closed in legislation.
I want the campaign to succeed. I want the politicians, for once, to listen properly and to introduce legislation that is effective, enforceable and not riddled with loopholes from the outset.
I know the first step is to get this petition over the line for a debate in Parliament. You can sign it now, it’s close to getting the required 100,00 signatures, add yours today.
Sign the Justice For Reggie Petition.
Nothing happens fast when it comes to animal welfare. A lot of words get written, even more get said. Hope rises, optimism shines bright every time the faintest hint of political engagement occurs. It is how we have to feel. It is the process that brings in change. I know this. I tell myself this every single morning as I open my messages and look through my newsfeed. I must feel effective change for the dogs can happen. But, it should not be this hard to stop an industry from causing the suffering and deaths and misery that it does, year on year, on year.
Please join me in backing the Justice For Reggie campaign and Reggie’s Law. Please, if you feel like me some days and feel we are getting nowhere, let optimism and determination push aside any feelings of hopelessness. It’s what we must all do. It’s what the dogs need from us. However hard it feels some days.
Useful links
Preloved blog post: buying a puppy
Preloved blog post: Co-Founders of Animal Welfare Alliance
Pet Advertising Advisory Group
Schnauzerfest’s advice on rehoming / adopting dogs from selling sites
