Dogs Trust Kenilworth visited by MEP

Mr Dalton was given a tour of the Honiley Rehoming Centre by the staff and met some of the 169 dogs that the trust cares for.

He said: “Dogs Trust provides a great service, whether it be taking in troubled and lost dogs from the local authorities or simply taking in dogs from members of the public who can no longer cope with their pet.

“I was impressed with the efforts that are made with rehoming.

“Where possible, the right person gets the right dog.

“Dogs Trust has raised many serious questions about the importation of puppies and it was a valuable experience to learn about its operation.”

David Evans, a worker at the trust, said: “It was a pleasure to show Daniel around our centre, it’s clear he has a real love for dogs.

“It was great to see his interest in our rehoming process and the fact we will stop at nothing to ensure every dog that comes to Dogs Trust Kenilworth finds the loving home they deserve.”

Mr Dalton’s visit came after Dogs Trust had recently published a report highlighting serious shortcomings with the importation of puppies into the UK from Europe under the Pet Travel Scheme, which he will be discussing in Brussels.

The report stated many dogs were having their passports falsified by crooked vets in Eastern Europe, meaning they could harbour diseases like rabies, and many were transported thousands of miles across Europe in unsuitably-sized suitcases or containers.

It also found that controls at UK border ports were ineffective.