Continue reading Scotland sees first demonstration of Europe’s first full-sized autonomous bus
BUYERS URGED TO BOYCOTT ILLEGAL TRADE
People in Scotland are increasingly buying puppies online despite the risk of purchasing from illegal breeders, according to new research.
Almost half (45%) of people who bought a puppy in 2019 did so online, up from a quarter (25%) the previous year. One in five puppies bought through online advertising websites, where most illegal dealers operate, get sick or die within the first year, and one in four die before their fifth birthday.
The campaign is asking people to #LookBeyondCute and make three ‘Pup Checks’. They are :
• look for the puppy’s mother
• look for paperwork such as vaccination and microchipping certificates
• walk away if something doesn’t seem right
Launching the latest phase of the Scottish Government’s Buy a Puppy Safely campaign in Edinburgh yesterday, Minister for Rural Affairs and Natural Environment Mairi Gougeon said: “Puppy farms breed misery, and that misery is being fuelled by the huge demand for puppies and facilitated through online adverts and sellers.
“Last year’s campaign contributed to a 37% increase in the number of advice calls about suspected puppy farms to the Scottish SPCA’s animal helpline. As people increasingly look online to buy a puppy, it is more important than ever that they know how to spot the signs of illegal dealers.
“There are key checks that can help ensure you are buying safely. These include meeting the puppy’s mother with her litter and ensuring all the correct paperwork is in place. If something doesn’t feel right, walk away and report your concerns to the Scottish SPCA.”
Paulina Majerowska, a 25-year-old student from Clackmannanshire who bought a puppy online, said: “I spotted an online advert for a Chihuahua and phoned the seller who said he could drop the puppy off within the hour as he was already in the area.
“When he arrived it felt very rushed. He told us the dog had been vaccinated but he’d forgotten the documentation.
“I spent £350 and was told the puppy was 10 weeks old, but she looked quite unwell. We named her Daisy but soon realised things weren’t right. She died just five days later.
“The emotional turmoil we have been through as a family has been awful. My advice would be do your research properly and don’t rush into buying a puppy. More importantly, walk away if something doesn’t feel right.”
An action plan to help homeowners and businesses prevent damage caused by flooding has been launched. Continue reading Flooding Action Plan launched
College and university students are to benefit from a £20 million investment in additional mental health counsellors. Continue reading More mental health support for students in Scotland
Winter pressures across NHS Scotland will be tackled through an investment of £10 million.
NHS Lothian’s allocation is £1.426 million. Continue reading Additional winter funding for NHS Scotland
Scotland’s economy would suffer significant damage under the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal, according to Scottish Government analysis. Continue reading “No Brexit can be a good Brexit”: Scottish Government publishes impact study
The second and final part of a review into compliance of all building systems at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP) and Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DCN) has been published.
Concluding work ordered by Health Secretary Jeane Freeman in July, the latest NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) report focuses on fire systems, electrical systems and medical gases. This has identified remedial work required within fire and electrical systems prior to occupation and the need for other improvements. Continue reading New Sick Kids: still on course for Spring move
Restrictions to the use of fireworks on private property across Scotland is to be considered by a new review group.
The group will also consider changes to the times at which fireworks can be let off and look at options around the potential introduction of no-fireworks zones. Continue reading Fireworks action plan launched
Nearly £210 million has been paid to 347,045 low income households by the Scottish Welfare Fund since it was established in 2013, latest figures show.
Crisis grant applications to the fund for basic essentials such as food and heating increased by 12% from April to June compared to the same period last year.
In addition, for the first time exceptional pressure is the main reason for Community Care Grant applications. Previously, the biggest reason for these applications was helping people to stay in their community.
The fund, which enables local authorities to provide grants for people on low incomes, is part of the Scottish Government’s mitigation efforts for UK Government welfare cuts. Estimates suggest social security spending in Scotland is set to reduce by £3.7 billion per year by 2021.
Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “These are yet more signals of how much families are struggling.
“In the face of UK Government cuts and with the threat of a ‘no deal’ Brexit still alive – the risk is real that tens of thousands more people could be pushed into poverty in Scotland.
“The Scottish Government will not stand by and let people who are already struggling continue to face a reliance on food banks and the stress of debt and rent arrears.
“We will continue to spend at least £100 million each year to mitigate the worst effects of the UK government welfare cuts – part of the £1.4 billion we spent last year to support low income households.
“This is money we should be able to invest elsewhere to help pull people out of poverty but we instead we need to use to protect the poorest and most vulnerable in our country.
“And we are introducing the Scottish Child Payment to tackle child poverty head on. But there is no doubt that without the cuts inflicted on families by the UK Government this could go so much further.”
The new Scottish social security system has fairness, dignity and respect designed in from the start.
Our person-centred approach has been given strong public support in our consultation.
Find out more ➡️ https://t.co/6uk8C4iqor pic.twitter.com/A6qoRdMzm0
— Scottish Government (@scotgov) October 29, 2019
A sea change in social security policy to reduce the anxiety and stress associated with the current UK Government disability payments process has been given strong public support.
A consultation found that Scottish Government proposals for a person-centred approach was favoured over the current ‘one-size-fits-all’ system of the UK Government.
The new Scottish social security system has fairness, dignity and respect designed in from the start. Measures will include:
This contrasts with the UK Government system which users have criticised for having complicated and inaccessible application routes, unnecessary face-to-face assessments and inaccurate reports.
Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “I have heard from far too many ill and disabled people who currently know only of stigma, stress and anxiety when it comes to accessing welfare support and fear the ‘dreaded brown envelope’ from the Department for Work and Pensions.
“That is why I want a sea change in accessing disability payments. A new system designed from the ground up – together with users themselves – that puts people first.
“We are supporting people to access the financial support they are entitled to and actively seeking to move away from the stigma of benefits to recognise they are an investment in our people.
“That means a process that is clear and accessible from start to finish and ensures people understand how and when their application will be dealt with.
“It is part of our promise to the people of Scotland that our social security system is a public service and will treat everybody with fairness, dignity and respect.”
