JUSTIN Tomlinson has resumed his long standing campaign to get greater safeguards introduced to stop the scourge of puppy farming.

The North Swindon MP has called on the government to outlaw the sale of puppies by third parties after evidence showed that the animals are still routinely being farmed in horrific conditions.

Mr Tomlinson has been a long-term campaigner on the issue, ensuring it gets the consideration it deserves in parliament.

During his time as an MP he has worked closely with organisations including the WWF, IFAW, Animals Asia, Guide Dogs, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home and Cats Protection.

In 2014, he was inspired by a petition signed by 140,000 people - including thousands in Swindon - calling for an end to puppy farming. He led a debate on the matter in the House of Commons.

Mr Tomlinson’s latest call for action comes after a meeting with vet Marc Abrahams, who set up the PupAid charity in 2009 and has been the resident vet on a wide-range of television programmes.

Puppy farms, located in Wales, Ireland and across continental Europe, provide puppies to sellers in England, often without the correct documentation and without evidence that puppy has formed an attachment with its mother.

Reared in cramped conditions, often with little or no regard for their health, the animals development is heavily effected.

The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs recently issued guidance to people who want to buy a puppy advising them to ensure that only brought if they could also see its mother. However, they stopped short of a total ban on third party sales.

While some progress has been made, the practice still exists and Mr Tomlinson believes more now needs to be done to end the trade.

He has joined forces with PupAid to call on the government to support a total ban on sales except for those from breeders who are recognised by the Kennel Club, and he is encouraging local residents to back the campaign.

Justin has now tabled a number of parliamentary questions on the subject and will press Ministers to take strong action.

Justin Tomlinson MP said: “Residents in Swindon know that this is a matter I take very seriously and when we launched the initial PupAid campaign against puppy farming in 2014, they responded in huge numbers.

“Now, alongside PupAid and Marc Abraham, I’m calling on the government to implement a full ban on third party puppy sales.

“Without this change, and tighter enforcement, people across the country will continue to be able to buy puppies that have been farmed with no access to their mother; something which hugely affects their health and well-being.”