The Sunday Times reports:

February 17. 2008
Nicola Smith in Brussels

THE growing popularity of lapdogs and the abolition of European Union border controls have caused a boom in the cruel smuggling of puppies from eastern Europe.

Customs authorities and animal rights groups have warned that rogue breeders are exploiting the demand for small “handbag” dogs, used as fashion accessories by celebrities such as Paris Hilton and Britney Spears.

Breeds such as chihuahuas, Yorkshire terriers and golden retrievers are being bred in filthy conditions and then transported in cramped cages and cardboard boxes to street markets to be sold at cut price.

Often they are crammed 30 at a time into car boots in Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland for a painful journey to Germany, Austria and as far west as Holland and Sweden.

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