Puppy Farms
Puppy farms exist to supply pet shops with a cheap ready source of animals. People who buy puppies from pet shops are supporting this cruel trade and will also suffer the consequences of having purchased an animal from such a questionable background.
In puppy farms the ‘breeding stock’ are kept permanently caged. They are never walked or cuddled, and will never know the comforts of a family or home. They are merely there to serve a purpose, and as soon as they stop producing litters they are destroyed.
It is ‘best practise’ to spend the least amount of money for the highest return. Dogs are fed three times a week (usually Monday, Wednesday and Friday), even when pregnant, and any sick dogs are either killed or simply left to die. The known puppy farms on the Victorian and NSW border provide the animals with little food, shelter or warmth, and many die from neglect or exposure.
As soon as the puppies reach six weeks of age they are taken from their mothers to be sold through pet shops. They are usually unsocialised, and many are sick. The latter will often be killed by pet shop owners as it is cheaper than seeking veterinary treatment.
It is very important to remember that both the puppy farm and pet shop are businesses. Businesses only make a profit if they spend less than the money they have coming in. Unfortunately this is prioritised over the health, happiness and welfare of the animal.
The Animals Bill will stop the cruel business of puppy farming by:
- restricting those who can carry on the business of breeding cats or dogs
- by prohibiting the sale of cats and dogs at or from shops or markets
This means that only registered breeders will be able to breed dogs and cats, and puppy farmers will have no avenue to sell their puppies.
Pet shops are the public face of puppy farms and as long as they are allowed to sell companion animals, these places will continue to profit.
