Organised crime groups have turned to breeding puppies with exaggerated features and often severe health problems for massive profits, an undercover BBC Panorama investigation has found.
The programme found unscrupulous criminal gangs were raking in profits by breeding puppies with extreme features, including large skin folds or deformed legs. The eight month investigation revealed how the practice was leading to a rise in young dogs being abandoned due to chronic health issues, often leading to them being put down by rescue centres.
One animal welfare investigator, who appeared in the episode undercover, told reporter Sam Poling: "It's a massively lucrative trade, a multitude of breeders throughout the UK are linked. The more extreme dog you produce, the more money you get.
