The dog lover, who rose to fame on Love Island in 2021, is taking a stand against something ‘devastating to witness’
Spot an adorable puppy advert on social media, and it’s hard to resist bringing one home. But former Love Island star Faye Winter has now urged Brits to think twice about doing so amidst a rise in cruel scams.
Faye has long considered herself a dog person, having worked in animal shelters and volunteered for Guide Dogs years before appearing on the ITV reality show in 2021. Now, using her platform to make a difference, she is determined to address an issue that breaks her heart.
“Backyard breeders are dominating the market, and it’s poisoning something that should be pure and joyful,” she told the Mirror. “I worry constantly about the welfare of the dogs, so many of them are exploited purely for financial gain, especially breeding dogs, bred over and over again with no thought for their health or happiness.
“Since Covid, when the demand for puppies exploded, it’s only got worse. Fashionable breeds are being produced under sickening conditions, with standards that make my stomach turn.
“These breeders will go to shocking lengths to fool people, scattering their breeding dogs across the UK, or even renting Airbnbs to create the illusion of being loving, family breeders. It’s calculated, it’s cruel, and it’s devastating to witness.”
Breeding dogs isn’t quite as simple as bringing two dogs together and letting nature take its course. In fact, anyone who breeds three or more litters in a year, or operates a business selling dogs is legally required to have a licence. They must also adhere to strict welfare standards.
‘Backyard breeding’ therefore regards the practice of breeding dogs illegitimately, and often within ‘inadequate conditions’ with ‘insufficient care’, according to the RSPCA. These operations, commonly known as ‘puppy mills’, often involve overbreeding dogs and subjecting them to unhygienic environments, which increases their risk of illness and long-term health issues.
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In 2022, research from The Kennel Club revealed that around 25% of puppy buyers suspected their breeders were operating illegally. This finding coincided with a threefold increase in the number of people buying puppies on social media since 2017, and almost a third paying before ever seeing them in person.
“[When getting a puppy] we want them to be in a setup of a family home environment, we want them to be from people that care,” Faye continued. “We want them to have the best upbringing and the best breeding background, so we aren’t going to be breeding for fashion items, for example.
“You don’t want people breeding and making dogs ill, because ultimately, two bad dogs breed, and you’re making worse dogs. We want to be able to make sure that dogs are bred [well], but also the people that are breeding them, they’re not dotting themselves around and, you know, using Airbnbs.
“That they have got a UK home address, that they have got IDs. We want to make sure that these people are real, and you’re not being defrauded out of money…When it comes to litters being born, you’ve also got people that will take your money and then disappear off the face of the earth.”
In light of these concerns, Faye has now become a new ambassador for PetProov.com. Founded in 2024, this UK-based start-up works by verifying the identities of both buyers and pet breeders using ‘government-grade checks’.
To complete a transaction, either a buyer or the breeder pays a one-time fee of £4.99 per pet. The other party then receives an email invitation to download the app, which requires you to complete a live facial recognition check and to upload a copy of government-issued ID. PetProov claims this only takes a matter of minutes.
Once verified, sellers are then able to share key documents about their animals, including health and vaccination records. In turn, a prospective buyer can thoroughly evaluate a pet’s background before making any commitment.
Faye continued: “The more people that are signing up for PetProov, and getting their breeders to fill in the application, the more we can make sure we are streamlining it so that people can’t slip through the net.
“They can’t be allowed to change their addresses, they can’t be allowed to use fake names, they can’t be allowed to use Airbnbs to be able to sell puppies.”
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In 2022, Faye, from Devon, welcomed home Bonnie, a Golden Retriever. Speaking of her own experience, she said: “My breeder, she didn’t care who I was, where I was from, my background, anything else. She wanted to know that I was the right person for her puppies. I got literally interrogated.
“I was given some downtime to go and have a think about the puppy. I was given huge documentation of how much Bonnie was likely to cost me over her years, how much she was going to likely cost me in vet bills, how much she was to insure, how much dog food it was going to cost me.
“I was then given a cooling off period. Obviously, I knew that my breeder was great, I had to sign a contract to make sure that if anything was to happen to her, or if I could no longer look after her, that she would go back to my breeder, she wouldn’t be sold on.
“She was so hot on it that I knew that she was my breeder, and I knew she was a very, very good breeder.” Later, she also added: “My biggest therapy was Bon, and, you know, my situation completely changed when I got Bonnie, and she got me through it.
“…Our dogs look out for us every single day of our lives, we are their favorite hello, and we are their worst goodbye. We need to make sure that we have that same level of respect for them.
“I just want everybody to know that there is now a platform that is going to help you make the best decisions when it comes to buying a dog.”
You can find out more about PetProov here.
Five signs an online puppy advert is dodgy
A staggering 87% of puppy trade calls received by the RSPCA concern animals bought over the internet. Below are just a few of several warning signs it urges buyers to watch out for.
- Descriptions may have been copied and pasted and used on more than one advert.
- Words like ‘miniature’ and ‘teacup’ can be a sign of dealers trying to capitalise on popular terms.
- Same contact number on more than one advert. Try Googling the number to see if it’s been used on any other puppy adverts.
- Vaccinated early. If the advert says a puppy has been vaccinated, check how old he or she is. A puppy cannot be vaccinated before they’re four to six weeks old.
- Promises of ‘free insurance’ and ‘puppy packs’. These don’t mean the advert is from a legitimate breeder.
Guidance from The Kennel Club also encourages people to:
- Avoid buying a dog around Christmas time – most responsible breeders avoid selling during the festive season.
- Do not buy from a third party/anyone other than a breeder.
- Do not buy from a breeder who won’t show you the puppy interacting with its mother.
- Do not pick up a puppy from anywhere other than the breeder’s home/premises.
