The real life horror behind Coronation Street's puppy farm storyline
When Coronation Street’s Evelyn and Cassie Plummer uncover an illegal puppy farm in the new year, what they find will horrify viewers.
And that is exactly the reaction the soap wants after developing the harrowing scenes with close guidance from the RSPCA to wake people up to the grim reality of the cruel trade.
Fans have already seen thug Terry threaten Evelyn, played by Maureen Lipman, and attack her grandson Tyrone after she confronted him for mistreating his puppy and rescued it. And in January, she and daughter Cassie (Claire Sweeney) will learn the villain runs a puppy farm at his home.
RSPCA inspector Herchy Boal, who helped retrieve more than 80 dogs from an illegal farm in the Midlands, advised scriptwriters on the distressing issue. Herchy says: “Puppy farms are more common than people realise. They could have 90 breeding female dogs in one barn, in pens next to each other. They never see daylight, they never get any exercise or are walked and they are sometimes fed on automatic feeders, because they are not attended by human beings daily. All the dogs’ poo is in there, too, because the pens aren’t cleaned.”
The reality of a puppy farmDog lover Maureen, 77, says: “I hadn’t realised these puppies are sold for £2,000 and these people are not registered” Lucy’s Law was passed three years ago to crack down on such cruel practices – yet illegal breeders still go to extraordinary lengths to con people.
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Herchy warns that what look like normal homes are often fronts. Puppies bought more cheaply in Wales or Ireland are taken to rented, partially-furnished homes in England with a fake “mother” dog to be sold at a higher price.
Herchy warns: “They will also say the puppies are fully vaccinated but they buy up vaccination cards and put fake stamps on. Breeders can also be pushy and say, ‘It’s the last one’. Always take a step back and use your intuition. If alarm bells are ringing, listen to them.”
Buyers can be so preoccupied with the pup they do not realise documents are fake until it is too late, she says. The animals can be in a terrible state, too, leading to huge vet bills. “Many have fleas and worms,” says Herchy. “A lot will have parvovirus, as they are not vaccinated. It causes them to vomit, have diarrhoea and a huge amount of blood loss.”
And removed from mothers too soon and not fed properly, farmed puppies often sadly die. Recalling someone buying a West Highland terrier from a puppy farm, Herchy, with the RSPCA 23 years, says: “Her pup died within an hour of buying it. I also knew of a 13-year-old girl who came downstairs to find the puppy had died in its basket. And I have known detectives, doctors, nurses and even a judge who have been completely conned. These are genuine stories of heartbreak.”
Terry tracking down EvelynWhile Herchy loves her job, she says it can be tough. “One puppy farmer threatened me. I had to change my working day and route home,” she says. And she praises the ITV soap for tackling the issue, saying: “Maureen and Claire wanted to get it right.
“They were very thoughtful of the whole process and everyone at Corrie showed how much they cared. That meant a lot to us at the RSPCA. This is a story that affects so many.”
Don't get conned
To identify fake adverts for puppies, the RSPCA advises googling phone numbers and descriptions to see if they appear in other ads. Words like “miniature” and “teacup” can be dealers capitalising on popular terms. Right-click on photos and select “search Google for image” to see if they have been used elsewhere.
If an advert says a puppy has been vaccinated, check how old he or she is, as this isn’t allowed before four weeks. And be aware that a puppy advertised as having a passport has most probably been imported. And promises of “free insurance” and “puppy packs” don’t mean the advert is from a legitimate breeder.
Lucy's Law
Since Lucy’s Law was passed in 2020, anyone wanting a new puppy in England must buy from a breeder or adopt from a rescue centre. The law was named after Lucy, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel rescued from terrible conditions at a South Wales puppy farm in 2013.
Licensed dog breeders must show puppies interacting with their mothers in their place of birth. Selling without a licence can lead to an unlimited fine or six months’ jail.
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- Find out about the RSPCA’s winter campaign at rspca.org.uk/winterrescue
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