Monitoring by FOUR PAWS shows: Bavaria is a hotspot, small breeds are particularly popular.
Hamburg. From January to the end of June, the global animal welfare foundation FOUR PAWS recorded a total of 333 illegally traded animals in 50 cases – including 302 dogs and 31 cats. Almost half of the cases were discovered in Bavaria. Eight puppies did not survive the strain despite veterinary treatment.
As in the first quarter of the year, most cases were found in Bavaria: 23 cases (46 percent) with a total of 148 animals (44 percent). The figures show that the illegal puppy trade will continue at a high level in the first half of 2026.
“The horror continues in the first half of this year: 333 illegally traded dogs and cats have already been caught in Germany. What is particularly tragic is that eight puppies died despite intensive veterinary care: shocking evidence of the brutal conditions in the illegal puppy trade. These are almost always accidental finds by authorities – so the number shown here is just the tip of the iceberg,” says Saskia Dauter, expert on illegal puppy trade at VIER PAWS.
Still particularly popular: small breeds
Small dog breeds continue to be particularly in demand. Dachshunds in particular stand out: they account for almost 20 percent of cases (nine cases) and almost a third of the dogs seized (85 animals, 28 percent) out of. What is striking is that many of the animals were bred in so-called trend colors such as Merle and Dilute. In addition, breeds such as French bulldogs, Maltese, poodles and poodle mixes also remain the focus of illegal trade. These currently in-demand animals are often offered online at prices similar to those offered by breeders.
Illegally traded puppies are often seriously ill: many suffer from parasites such as worms or giardia, which cause severe diarrhea, or are infected with parvovirus. Parvovirus causes bloody diarrhea and vomiting and is often fatal in puppies – even with intensive treatment. In addition, the puppies' immune systems are usually permanently weakened due to the often too early separation from their mother.
Reports continue to be predominantly online
A total of 83 reports were received via the FOUR PAWS reporting tool in the first half of the year. Most of it (62 reports or 72 percent) affected online trading. Another 15 messages (17 percent) came from other sources and 9 reports (11 percent) were related to breeders. These figures once again illustrate the central role of the Internet as a sales channel for illegally traded animals.
demands on the federal government
FOUR PAWS continues to call on the federal government to take decisive action against the illegal puppy trade: “This year, a regulation was passed at EU level that is intended to regulate online trading and introduce a labeling and registration requirement for dogs and cats. We expect the federal government, among other things, to ensure that, during implementation, the owner's data is checked in the pet register and only advertisements are published for which registration has been verified,” says Saskia Dauter from FOUR PAWS.
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