SWINDON North MP Justin Tomlinson has teamed up with a TV vet to stamp out commercial puppy farms.

It will be debated in parliament, led by Mr Tomlinson, following a campaign by the animal welfare group Pup Aid, which says the farms can lead to suffering for dogs which are not properly cared for.

An e-petition calling for the abolition of the farms has been set up calling for a change in the law and been signed more than 100,000 times, making it the largest animal welfare petition in history.

Commercial puppy farms are an increasing problem and often the puppies are kept in poor conditions, unvaccinated, unsocialised and taken away from their mothers.

They may then be shipped on in large groups riddled with diseases to be sold through pet shops, private dealers or on the internet.

With Marc Abraham, who has appeared on BBC Breakfast and This Morning, and several MPs, Mr Tomlinson is calling on the government to make it a legal requirement for the mother of puppies and kittens to be present when they are sold.

He said: “We must help curb the sale of these puppies.

“As well as the damage puppy farming causes both pups and their mothers, new owners, often young families, are frequently left to deal with the financial and emotional wreckage when these puppies develop serious behavioural problems, or require expensive veterinary treatments, and at worst, euthanasia.”

Mr Abraham, who has led the Pup Aid campaign, says that it is vital for new owners to see a puppy interacting with its mother before any purchase is made. With the charity he argues the farms are set up purely for profit and with no thought for the animal’s welfare.

He said: “Pup Aid’s e-petition is proudly the biggest government petition supporting pet welfare of all time, clearly showing that the British public is opposed to puppy farms, and we finally have a chance to change the law cutting out this important supply route – the pet shop.

“The support of MPs like Justin is vital if we are to ensure that the Government acts.

“It’s so important that potential owners see the puppy interacting with its mother and in conditions that support both its physical and behavioural development and current legislation must reflect this.”

To find out more information visit www.pupaid.org.