Revised Code of Practice open for public feedback.
After much anticipation, the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) proposed revised Code of Practice for the Operation of Breeding and Rearing Establishments has been released with public comment open until 9am, 13 May.
This code sets out the minimum standards of accommodation, management and care required by breeding and rearing establishments.
RSPCA Victoria is pleased that the DPI has asked for the public and animal welfare organisations to contribute to the development of the existing code. The ideal outcome would be to see the DPI implement stronger legislation to protect all animals - including those in intensive breeding factories.
For years, RSPCA Victoria has campaigned for stricter standards on animal welfare and hopes the revised code, when implemented, enforces tighter measures on animal protection and improved powers of enforcement.
This is your chance to share your voice and promote lasting positive change – remember, you have until 9am, 13 May!
Give dogs something to celebrate these holidays. Don’t support the cruel puppy factory industry.
Each year dogs are confined to cruel puppy factories and treated as nothing more than breeding machines, used to produce puppies for profit. Often these dogs are kept in small cages, and rarely get to see the light of day.
At a time of year when many people think of bringing a new pet into their life, it’s important to think of the reality behind the pet shop window or online listing – where did the cute puppy come from, and are the parents of this adorable puppy living a life of cruelty and neglect?
If you, or someone you know, are looking for a puppy, we urge you to first consider adoption. We have many dogs looking for their second chance in a happy new home.
However, if you’re looking for a specific breed, we have developed the Smart Puppy Buyers Guide to help you find the perfect new companion without inadvertently supporting the cruel puppy factory industry. You can help give dogs in these cruel factories a brighter future by educating your friends and family and pledging to support our campaign.
Help give dogs something to celebrate Share our video with your friends and help us put a stop to the cruel puppy factory industry. Copy and paste the below messages to Twitter and Facebook today.
Twitter Help the RSPCA give dogs something to celebrate. http://bit.ly/129SaEU Don’t support puppy factories. #closepuppyfactories
Facebook Help the RSPCA give dogs something to celebrates. If you are looking for a new best friend, make sure you don’t inadvertently support the cruel puppy factory industry. Download the
http://bit.ly/drZFwj
to help put you on the right track to taking home a healthy and happy puppy. http://bit.ly/drZFwj
Issue
Puppy factories are large-scale, commercial businesses that mass produce all kinds of puppies for sale. This includes purebred, crossbred and mixed-breed dogs. These puppies are then sold online and in pet shops. It's estimated that 95% of puppies sold in pet shops are produced in puppy factories or by backyard breeders.
Puppy factories are awful places, with poor conditions. Puppy factory dogs are viewed only for their ability to make their owners’ money. Puppies are often confined in crowded cages with no room to move. These puppies are rarely vaccinated, making them highly susceptible to infectious diseases, parasites and many acute and chronic conditions. Puppies that come from puppy factories can also develop behavioural difficulties due to the miserable conditions in which they’re exposed.
Once the puppies are sold, their mothers are left behind to endure endless cycles of producing litters in appalling conditions. It’s not uncommon for female dogs as young as six months old to churn out as many as several litters a year for their entire lives. Under Victorian State law, bitches are only permitted to have one litter in every 10 months. However, within these factories, bitches are forced to have litters of puppies every six months and do not get the chance to recuperate. This often leaves them with serious ongoing health problems. When they’re no longer able to breed, they’re euthanased.
On top of that, the mortality rate of the puppies is quite high because veterinary care is scarcely provided. Puppies that do survive and are sold often suffer from ongoing health issues that the new owners have to pay for.
Sadly, many owners unknowingly provide breeding animals to these facilities when they give their undesexed dogs or puppies away 'free to good home'. If your dog has a litter, the RSPCA advises that you never give away puppies that have not been desexed.
Exciting new developments have been announced by the Baillieu Government, in a crack down against puppy factories. Read more about this legislative reform here.
No room to stand, is no way to live.
Where to buy
If you’re looking for a puppy, check your local RSPCA or other animal rescue group first. There are many wonderful puppies and dogs out there looking for new homes. But if you can’t find the right dog for you, or have your heart set on a specific breed, you’ll need to find a good breeder.
It’s important to make sure you are well informed before contacting a breeder, so that you’ll be on the right track to taking home a happy and healthy puppy and help prevent the sale of puppies from puppy factories.
Puppy factories primarily sell wholesale to pet shops and often advertise in newspaper classifieds and online pet sites. To avoid supporting puppy factories it's best to avoid these sales channels when purchasing a puppy. Although some reputable breeders will use online sites for advertising, you need to be prepared to ask the right questions to ensure you're not purchasing from a puppy factory.
Things that you should be aware of to avoid buying from puppy factories are:
Puppy factories will not provide an address, or they will suggest to meet in a public area like a park.
They will not allow you to visit and view the puppies at the breeding facility.
These operators won’t let the buyers view the parents and often give excuses.
They often require prior payment or a substantial deposit before viewing the animal.
Follow our Smart Puppy Buyer’s Guide and you’ll be on the right track to taking home a healthy, well-adjusted puppy and helping to prevent the sale of puppies from puppy factories or irresponsible breeders.
Regulations
RSPCA Victoria is pleased that new laws to crackdown on the illegal puppy factory industry will commence in January 2012, based on pre-election promises from the Baillieu Government.
These new laws include stricter penalties and bigger fines for animal cruelty. The RSPCA is also now equipped with new policing and confiscation powers, which means that the RSPCA will be able assist local councils in enforcing the Code of Practice for Breeding Establishments.
The legal definition of a breeding establishment has now also changed. Breeders who previously did not have to register as a breeding establishment with local council are now legally required to do. As such they have to comply with the Code of Practice, making potential breaches of the code far easier to enforce. If an operator is not registered, local council and the RSPCA have the ability to seize animals and take them into RSPCA care.
New laws will also allow for profits and assets of illegal puppy factories to be seized. It will now also be illegal to sell or advertise the sale of puppies without a microchip number or notice.
Finally, these new laws include the establishment of a $1.6 million Animal Welfare Fund designed to assist organisations such as the RSPCA provide care and treatment for animals rescued from puppy factories.
Further details of the Government's crackdown includes:
RSPCA and Council Officers will now be able to seize animals from illegal breeders;
Increased penalties for puppy factories operating illegally from $1,195 up to $20,000 and up to $30,000 for those operating below required standards;
Increased penalties for operators who commit acts of cruelty will be doubled. Individuals face penalties up to $30,000 and 12 months prison for cruelty, and up to $60,000 and 24 months for aggravated cruelty;
The courts will now be able to ban illegal operators from breeding, keeping or selling animals for up to 10 years;
All dogs advertised for sale are required to be permanently identified, and the microchip number must be included in the advertisement or notice.
If these new laws are not adhered to, profits, assets and property of the seller may be seized.
The RSPCA commends the Government on introducing these laws which will go a long way in helping to protect dogs in puppy factories. The RSPCA would also like to thank everyone that has supported our Close Puppy Factories campaign so far to help influence this positive change.
More change is still needed to close puppy factories and the RSPCA will continue its campaign by focusing on the sales channels breeders use via our Pet Shop Challenge, and continuing to create awareness about this unscrupulous industry.
Images from Australian puppy factories
Neglecting to groom dogs and treating them only as money-making machines leads to poor health and skin conditions.
Living in filthy conditions with no veterinary treatment, dogs in puppy factories can suffer severe eye infections.
Mothers just like Nobby are forced to churn out puppies and are never free from the breeding cycle.
A puppy awaiting shipment to a prospective buyer.
No room to stand, no way to live.
Puppies forced to live a life of confinement.
Take action
Your support counts. Together we can impact the buying cycle and put an end to this cruel industry.
Take the Pet Shop Challenge
Many pet shops claim that they do not support the industry so we're asking them to prove it! Visit your local pet shop and ask the tough questions:
Where do you source your puppies from?
What are the breeder’s contact details?
A good breeder will always welcome inspections so you can meet a puppy’s parents and will offer references.
All other products in a pet shop have the supplier’s details available. Why do some pet shops refuse to reveal the supplier details of their puppies?
Privacy is just an excuse to avoid being transparent about puppy factories. If you can’t get a proper answer about where your local pet shop has sourced its puppies, the question is: what does your local pet shop have to hide?
Many people unknowingly support puppy
factories when they buy online or from a pet shop. Send your friends a
link to this page, encourage them to read our Smart Puppy Buyer's Guide and visit our close puppy factories website. Alternatively, visit your local animal welfare organisation.
Pledge your support
Join thousands of Australians and pledge your support to help us close these facilities. Learn more about this issue and the ways you can make a difference.
Register to receive campaign updates
Register to receive updates on our close puppy factories campaign, including updates from fellow organisations such as Oscar's Law.
Read the discussion paper
In January 2010, RSPCA Australia facilitated a discussion paper on puppy factories. Download the paper to read more about the legislative framework, animal welfare issues and what can be done to close puppy factories.
If your local pet shop does not support puppy factories, ask them to prove it.
Maggie's story
In 2010, RSPCA Inspectors rescued more than 40 dogs from one of Victoria’s most horrendous puppy factories.Today 30 November 2011, the owner of the puppy factory faced court, charged with multiple cruelty offences. The man was given a good behaviour bond without conviction on the undertaking that RSPCA Inspectors be allowed to conduct spot inspections during that period. The RSPCA was not awarded any costs.
The RSPCA was extremely disappointed by the outcome of this case. It is also extremely disappointing for all RSPCA staff and volunteers who invested so much time in the case and the rehabilitation of these dogs. The result certainly does not reflect the expectations of the RSPCA or the community, nor does it provide an acceptable outcome for these dogs that suffered from severe welfare issues.
Below is Maggie's story, one of the dogs rescued from this property. While her and he friends are now living in committed and loving new homes, their road to recovery has been long, and is still far from over. CLOSE PUPPY FACTORIES!
Maggie, a shy seven-year old schnauzer, was rescued while still pregnant. Maggie was lucky to survive and escape the conditions of her previous home, where she was forced to churn out litter after litter.
After being rescued by our Inspectors, Maggie was treated for various serious health issues caused by years of confinement and breeding in her puppy factory, including severe cataracts which severely impacted her vision.
Life was overwhelming for Maggie – she had never walked on lead, had never played with toys and she was very fearful and timid having experienced such little human contact. She had been deprived of the basic things that companion dogs need and enjoy – TLC and love.
Whilst in foster-care with an RSPCA staff member, Maggie gave birth to a litter of six healthy pups and for the first time in her life, she was able to bond and spend time with her babies.
Sadly, after the birth of her puppies though, Maggie nearly died –
needing emergency treatment for conditions that were a consequence of
years of intensive breeding. If still at her puppy factory, Maggie would
not have survived.
Luckily Maggie did survive her close call. Following treatment of her serious health issues, Maggie started her long road of rehabilitation with our shelter team and her foster care where she started experiencing the life like a normal dog. Slowly building her confidence in the outside world, Maggie then had her cataracts removed so could see the world around her.
Maggie’s intensive rehabilitation, emergency surgery and the removal of her cataracts cost the RSPCA well in excess of $10,000. Our thanks to everyone who donated to our close puppy factories campaign – Maggie and all the dogs rehabilitated and rehomed from this rescue were given a second chance at happiness thanks to you.
Sadly – our work continues however. Our Inspectors continue to work tirelessly to investigate the cruelty of these facilities, our shelters continue to rehabilitate more and more dogs discarded when they are no longer suited to breeding and our campaign to close these facilities continues.
We need your support to fight to close these facilities. Our work to provide veterinary care, rehabilitation and adoption to dogs rescued from puppy factories, and our campaign to close puppy factories, receives absolutely no government funding.
Please donate today – dogs just like Maggie are counting on you.
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