Today marks the start of the first-ever Puppy Awareness Week – a worthy campaign with a serious message. Run by the Kennel Club, Puppy Awareness Week, from 12-18 September 2011, aims to educate the public about buying a puppy responsibly, with particular attention given to researching the breed and breeder, and ensuring that the puppy is properly trained.  
      Puppy Awareness Week also aims to address the problems of puppy farms, where dogs are bred irresponsibly without regard for the health and wellbeing of puppies or their parents. The puppies are sold to well-meaning but unsuspecting buyers who may then have to deal with serious illnesses and behavioural problems in the puppy and even premature death.   
●  The Kennel Club has set up a petition to help end puppy farming on the government’s epetitions website; 100,000 signatures are needed in order for the petition to be considered for debate in the House of Commons. To add your support go to http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/8557   
●  Puppy Farm Aware badges are available from the Kennel Club website to help raise awareness; proceeds will go to the Kennel Club Charitable Trust. Find out more about Puppy Awareness Week at www.thekennelclub.org.uk/paw