CUSTOMS STAFF AT Dublin Port this morning stopped a woman travelling with four puppies in carry-on hand luggage on a ferry bound for Wales.

The passenger was interviewed by a Department of Agriculture veterinary surgeon who asked for the required paperwork for the Pugaleer breed puppies.

The animals did not have pet passports nor were they microchipped and were seized by the vet and placed in the care of the DSPCA.

The woman, with an address in Dundee, Scotland, was travelling with her two young children and she said they had arrived that day and bought the puppies from an online seller in the Dublin area.

A spokeswoman for the DSPCA said: “The DSPCA is now involved in a follow-up investigation into this matter. The puppies will remain in our care and are not available for adoption at the moment. We welcome the ongoing vigilance of customs officers and the Department of Agriculture in this matter.”

Under Irish and UK law, any dog being transported between the two countries must have an up-to-date pet passport with records of vaccinations, microchips and veterinary cert.

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