An animal welfare charity is reminding people to consider adoption rather than buying a new puppy.
The RSPCA is warning people to be wary of puppy farms and to take extra care when buying a puppy.
It wants people to make sure they consider adopting a pet before they buy.
Demand for puppies surged during the lockdowns over the last 18 months as families were able to spend more time looking after a new furry family member.
The average price of dogs went up a lot last year, reaching a figure of £2,237 in March. However, it is now finally dropped to £1,873.
There are currently thousands of dogs and puppies for sale on website Pets4Homes.
RSPCA dog welfare expert Dr Samantha Gaines said: “The RSPCA would always encourage people to adopt rather than buy, but if people want to buy a puppy, then they need to be extremely careful.
“We know that there are unscrupulous people out there who want to exploit the demand for dogs and are willing to take advantage of families who want to add a dog to their home.
“Sadly, this comes at the expense of the dogs….
