{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,9]],"date-time":"2026-10-09T17:39:55Z","timestamp":1791567595448,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":52,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"15","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,25]],"date-time":"2025-07-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1753401600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Research England Q-R SPF"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The United Kingdom (UK) is a key market for puppy importation from the European Union (EU), as demand for puppies exceeds domestic supply. Many are illegally imported. Potential welfare risks to the puppies and negative impacts of these on their prospective owners are well documented, but UK residents\u2019 perspectives on the trade are not. This study aimed to use an online survey to capture UK residents\u2019 understanding of the benefits and risks to imported puppies of being imported from Romania for sale in the UK, and the benefits and risks of buying an imported puppy for their prospective owners. Eligible responses were collected from n = 7184 participants; 4000 randomly selected free-text comments underwent content analysis. Respondents displayed a limited understanding of the nature and range of risks potentially associated with puppy importation. Worryingly, many viewed an EU-born puppy as equivalent to one bred in the UK; others considered them as \u201crescued\u201d. Synonyms used for non-endemic diseases that might be carried by the puppies varied widely, suggesting substantial confusion may exist on this topic. The UK public may underestimate the potential risks associated with buying a puppy bred in the EU, which plays into the hands of illegal puppy traders.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani15152192","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,25]],"date-time":"2025-07-25T14:40:02Z","timestamp":1753454402000},"page":"2192","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["\u201cA Dog Brings Benefits No Matter Where It\u2019s from\u201d: UK Residents\u2019 Understanding of the Benefits and Risks of Importing Puppies from Romania to the UK"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5652-3324","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Zoe","family":"Belshaw","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"EviVet Evidence-Based Veterinary Consultancy, Nottingham NG2 5HY, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-3468-858X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Elizabeth","family":"Youens","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Independent Researcher, Gloucester GL15 4NT, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Michelle","family":"Lord","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Independent Researcher, Bristol BS3 4TW, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9988-9828","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rowena M. A.","family":"Packer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Science and Services, The Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hatfield, Herts AL9 7TA, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"(2025, July 02). UK Pet Food UK Pet Population. Available online: https:\/\/www.ukpetfood.org\/industry-hub\/data-statistics-\/uk-pet-population-.html."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"(2024, August 02). PDSA Pet Animal Welfare Report. Available online: https:\/\/www.pdsa.org.uk\/media\/14944\/pdsa_paw-report-2024.pdf."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"105496","DOI":"10.1016\/j.prevetmed.2021.105496","article-title":"Societal Interest in Puppies and the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Google Trends Analysis","volume":"196","author":"Siettou","year":"2021","journal-title":"Prev. Vet. 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