This column is written for the Stray Ferret by Kimberley Metcalfe. Kimberley has an MSc in Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare. Her company Pooches Galore is based in Harrogate and specialises in dog training and resolving canine behavioural problems.

I recently recorded a podcast with Marc Abraham, the TV vet and more importantly the animal welfare campaigner who worked tirelessly to introduce Lucy’s Law last year.

Lucy’s Law was a landmark law in many ways, it was brought in to protect the rights of the breeding bitches who have often been neglected and used purely to make money, ending the third-party sake of puppies to try and eradicate puppy farms.

Often in these situations, potential puppy buyers do not meet the pup’s biological mum and are sold through brokers. This ultimately results in poor welfare for the dogs, unsanitary conditions for raising dogs, diseases, poorly puppies, and potentially behavioural problems.

The law came into effect in April 2020, just after the country was plunged into a lockdown, meaning puppy owners could not go and see their pups in their home environment with their mum as should be the way. Instead, unscrupulous breeders were still able to find ways around Lucy’s Law, delivering puppies to owners, and sending videos of puppies in their home environment without prospective owners having any way of checking the validity of these videos.

Over the past year, when regulations should have been tighter around purchasing and collecting dogs, I have heard many horror stories, including of dogs being passed through windows of cars in service station car parks, and dogs being sold on the understanding that they are 8 weeks old when they have actually been 12 or even 16 weeks, as well as many others.

Read More: 

• Kim’s Canines: Social distancing is not just for humans
• Kim’s Canines: supporting our dogs out of lockdown

The demand for puppies over the last year has been extraordinary, with the price of puppies reflecting this. If you are looking to bring a puppy into your home there are a number of very important checks you need to do.

• Meet your puppy at their home. The puppies should be in the breeders home, getting used to the sounds and sights of the home environment – not in a garage or stable outside.
• Does it look like a dog lives there with a litter of puppies? There should be a whelping pen that the puppies have been living in.
• How is mum? Is she there? Is she friendly? What’s her personality like? Is she interested in the puppies? Is she still with the puppies? If not, when and why did she leave them?
• Are the other litter mates there? How many were in the litter? Have any of them left to their new homes?
• How old is the puppy? By law they have to be 8 weeks before they can come home with you.
• Has the puppy been weaned, and are they eating solid food and not reliant on their mum? Puppies should be weaned from between 3 weeks to 7 weeks of age, but certainly before they go home with you.
• How old is mum? She should be over 1 year old before she has her first litter.
• How many litters has the mum had? Really, we don’t want the mum to have had more than 4 litters and once she is about 5 she should be retired from breeding.
• What is the puppy eating? Is it a good quality food? Is the breeder going to give you some food to come home with feed the puppy when they get home? Are they fed on raw food, kibble or a home-made diet –and is this diet going to work for you?
• What are the conditions of the sale? Can you breed from this dog should you want to? Will they take the puppy back if you are unable to keep them? Have they put any other conditions on the sale of the dog?
• Is the breeder interrogating you? They should be asking questions to check your suitability – asking about your home, who lives there, your experience of owning dogs, why are you choosing this breed, is your garden secure, how much time do you have to dedicate to your new dog.

This is a big commitment you are making, so don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as you want, making sure that this is the right dog for you to bring into your home for the next 10-15 years.

It can be difficult when we are caught up in the excitement of finding a new puppy, but always take a step back and look objectively at a situation.

Laura’s Law is a monthly legal column, written by family lawyer, Laura Mounsey. Laura is a partner at Harrogate Family Law. She specialises in dealing with divorced couples and people who have been in abusive relationships. Her role involves protecting her clients’ assets and income if they want to live with someone or get married and resolving disagreements about children.

This week Laura advises on what you should be prepared for if you’re thinking of getting a divorce. 

Many people are terrified about getting divorced. The idea of splitting up, particularly when you have children, can be almost too painful to bear. It is one of the most difficult things to go through. I can’t pretend that it isn’t, but I do find that the more than people understand how to weather the storm, the better.

If you are thinking of getting a divorce, it is helpful to prepare yourself.

1.    Feeling like it will never end

It can take people a long time to decide that enough is enough, they need a divorce. In my experience, making that decision itself is a relief. However, that is the beginning and not the end. Often, it can feel like there is no light at the end of the tunnel once you have taken that first step. It can feel overwhelming, and sometimes it is difficult to hold your nerve.

However, I have seen that with the right team around you, you will get through it and often find yourself stronger than ever.

2.    Feeling like your friends have not stuck around

Many people tell me that just when they needed their friends to rally around them more than ever, they found them more distant than ever. Divorce can be very divisive with mutual friends. It can be painful to question whose side your friends are on. I find that they fear speaking up about how they feel. Often, people feel like they are having to fight over yet another thing – who gets to keep which friends.

You should remember that if you lose a few people along the way, this will only clear room for new positive and meaningful friendships.

3.    Feeling like your ex has become someone that you do not recognise

You may think that you know your soon-to-be-ex inside and out. However, divorce can make people behave in a way that you never even knew was possible. Many find that their ex goes into survival mode, rather than being on their side. This can leave you feeling vulnerable because you don’t feel able to trust your ex anymore, or know what to expect next.

It is important to accept that you will have your own agendas now, and you will need to find some common ground to reach an agreement that is fair to both of you.

4.    Feeling like you aren’t doing enough to protect your children

As a parent your instinct is to protect your child from being hurt. This can mean that you and your ex will go to extreme lengths to try to keep everything as normal as possible, but it can often feel like it is not enough. Many people feel very guilty, which is much more difficult to overcome if your ex won’t work with you. When you are trying to look after yourself too, this can leave you feeling drained.

Don’t feel bad if you find your children are struggling. This is normal. Support is there from friends, family, school and other professionals. You will not be alone.

Sound familiar?

Even if you are the person who is initiating the divorce, you will need to give yourself time to adjust to a new way of life and the loss of your previous one. Nobody enters into marriage expecting it to end and the fact that it is ending can bring with it feelings of failure, regret, guilt and loneliness. It can also feel scary and uncertain at times.

These are completely normal emotions to be experiencing and are part of a healthy healing process. You will need to re-discover yourself and re-gain control by setting some new personal and financial goals. Now is a time to try new hobbies, meet new people, do some things on your bucket list, treat yourself and get back to who you want to be.

Read More: 

• Laura’s Law: Is your ex weaponising your children?
• Property Gold: Virtual Tours – are they worth it?