Almost two years ago, Governor Rendell, at the urging of the General Assembly and citizens throughout the Commonwealth, signed a law that would require among other things that breeding dogs in commercial kennels have unfettered access to the outside (indoor/outdoor kennel runs), and that all dogs over the age of twelve weeks not be housed on wire flooring (solid or slatted floors only).

Historically, dogs in Pennsylvania’s puppy mills have been forced to spend their lives standing on painful wire strand flooring in too-small cages often without any access to the outside. Governor Rendell’s new law was meant to improve conditions for millions of dogs in PA’s commercial kennels in the years to come. Instead Smith and West have decided to ignore the Governor’s wishes and the new law, by creating a policy that would allow pregnant and nursing mothers to be forced to stand on the now-outlawed wire strand flooring up to six months of the year and deny these poor animals unfettered access to an outside exercise area.

Members of Pennsylvania’s animal welfare community are asking for Jessie Smith and Sue West’s immediate removal and see their new policy as just one more attempt by the Bureau to protect the commercial breeders rather than the dogs of Pennsylvania. In October of 2009, as the new dog law went into effect, Smith and West issued waivers to 81 of the 111 commercial kennels, exempting over two thirds of PA’s commercial kennels from Pennsylvania’s new dog laws. Some of these waivers were for up to three years.

“The Governor should be outraged by what his staff is doing. If the Governor does want to help the dogs of Pennsylvania, he would demand that his Special Secretary and his Director of Dog Law enforce his new law rather than searching for loopholes to help the breeders keep their dogs on wire flooring” said Bill Smith, founder of Main Line Animal Rescue and an ASPCA Lifetime Achievement Award Winner. The ASPCA permitted HSUS’ Sarah Speed to express their opposition to the Bureau’s new policy at last week’s DLAB meeting. The Humane Society of the United States, United Against Puppy Mills, North Penn Puppy Mill Watch, Animal Law Coalition, Main Line Animal Rescue, and Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter’s Nancy Gardner have all expressed their opposition to the Bureau’s new policy of allowing kennel owners to circumvent the new law.

“Everyone who worked so hard to pass these new laws in an effort to improve conditions in PA’s mass dog breeding facilities should know all their hard work was for nothing – now that the administration plans not to enforce them” said one angry volunteer who helps rehabilitates rescued puppy mill dogs in Lancaster County. “And after all the Governor’s promises, dogs continue to suffer – breeding dogs trapped inside barns in 101 degree temperatures.” In spite of Jessie Smith and Sue West’s announcement last week that dogs could remain on wire, the two administrators listed breeding dogs removed from wire flooring as one of the Bureau’s accomplishments in their 2009 report to PA’s General Assembly. Only last month, PA’s Canine Health Board, consisting of nine veterinarians, also voted against the use of wire flooring in commercial kennels. “I feel like I live in North Korea” said one advocate for the animals. “The government can do as they like – and in this case, not only are they not enforcing the law, they’re encouraging people to break it.”

The requirements for solid flooring and unfettered access to the outside exercise area are two of the more important aspects of the new law, and many believe anyone who feels that it is alright to keep dogs trapped inside hot barns and standing on wire flooring has never been to a puppy mill and is hardly qualified to comment or shape new policies. “The governor once said that he knows how bad these kennels are – he didn’t need to see them” said Bill Smith “Well, I think its time the governor visit a few of these places, see 700 dogs unable to walk properly after spending their lives on vinyl coated chicken wire. How can the administration claim that Pennsylvania now has the toughest dog laws in the country if the governor is not insisting they be enforced?” Animal advocates are planning a rally to protest the Bureau’s ongoing policy of continuing to allow PA’s puppy mill dogs to suffer – either in Harrisburg or Philadelphia’s City Hall near the governor’s Broad Street offices.

The Minister asked the group to report to her by the end of June 2010.

The five welfare needs included in the Animal Welfare Act 2006 are that animals should:

* have a suitable environment;
* have a suitable diet;
* have the ability to exhibit normal behaviour patterns;
* be housed separately or together with other animals; and
* be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.

The report, which the Minister has accepted, makes three broad recommendations. First, that there should be legislative change for dog breeding by repealing existing statutory requirements and to provide new legislation; second, that changes to the licensing provision for dog breeding establishments should be made; and third, that statutory guidance on the new legislation should be made.

Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones said:

“Pets are an important element of our society and ownership gives much pleasure, as well as associated responsibilities.

“The devolution of animal welfare powers to Welsh Ministers under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 has provided opportunities for us to make a real difference. It’s about improving standards and preventing suffering – prevention is better than cure, which is a principle of our overarching Animal Health and Welfare Strategy.

“We have already made legislation on electronic shock collars and tail docking of dogs and Codes of Practice for dogs, cats, equines and rabbits. The CAWES (Companion Animal Welfare Enhancement Scheme) programme has supported and is continuing to support evidence based decisions. Part of that process is to work with the third sector to raise standards.

The Minister announced that licensing conditions for dog breeding establishments will be redrafted to reflect the five welfare needs. To help achieve this, the report recommended that a maximum number of dogs should be kept per full time attendant.

The Minister added:

“If the breeding establishment is to meet the welfare and socialisation needs of dogs and puppies it was considered that, at the outside, a maximum ratio of one full time attendant to 20 dogs should be imposed.

“I am keen to emphasise, however, that where welfare requirements are fully met, it is a legitimate business and meets the demands of those wishing to buy pets.

“What is unacceptable is large scale breeding of puppies where welfare of both the parents and offspring may be compromised. Evidence submitted to the Welsh Assembly Government in research undertaken by local authorities, representations from many welfare bodies and several television programmes, all identified room for improvement for animal welfare in existing dog breeding licensing conditions.

“The group also considered the qualifying criteria for licensing. They agreed that existing criteria needed tightening particularly reducing the number of breeding bitches to trigger licensing to three from the current “five or more litters.”

Other changes will include the compulsory microchipping of all breeding dogs in licensed premises as well as the microchipping of all pups from these premises prior to sale or homing. This would provide clear traceability back to the breeder in case of health or welfare concerns.

It is proposed that statutory guidance will incorporate the five “needs” of the Animal Welfare Act 2006. This will give a clear direction to Welsh local authorities and to dog breeders to enable compliance with the licensing requirements. Consideration will need to be given at a later stage as to whether the Code of Practice on the Welfare of Dogs will need to be expanded to include more detail on dog breeding.

The Minister concluded:

“My role is to ensure that animal welfare is being promoted and animals protected without placing unnecessary burdens on the breeders or purchasers of dogs.”

The new legislation will be fully consulted on during a 12 week period.

Accepting the appointment, Professor Crispin said:

“I am very honoured to have been selected from what I am aware was a very competitive field of candidates and I am thrilled to have this opportunity to contribute to a step change in the quality of life enjoyed by dogs of all sorts in this country. However, I am under no illusions about the scale of the challenge facing us. From the poor welfare of breeding bitches on puppy farms to the well documented issues of damaging conformation and genetic disease, we have a lot of problems to address.

My next and most important tasks include the selection of the members of the Council and the development of a strategy prioritising our work over the short and medium term.

I would like to call on those who have a professional, personal or business interest in dogs to support the Council. That we have got this far is due to the commitment and generosity of a few key dog and animal welfare organisations and to their willingness to work together for the good of dogs. We will be looking for further support to help us in the task ahead.”

Location: Carmarthenshire Council Offices, 3 Spilman Street, Carmarthen, SA31 1LE

Time: 12 noon

Carmarthenshire is the puppy farming capital of Wales and Puppy Love investigations have repeatedly shown filthy, small enclosures, lack of clean water, dogs living in isolation and semi-darkness, dogs with eye, ear and skin infections and other diseases. The breeding dogs are forced to produced litter after litter, even when sick, until they are too exhausted to carry on, and then are often killed or discarded.

Carmarthenshire Council refuse to admit any cruelty or neglect goes on within their jurisdiction despite numerous TV and press reports to the contrary. Some 84 licensed premises and 87 unlicensed premises lie within the confines of Carmarthenshire contributing to the suffering of thousands of dogs.

Veronica , founder of Puppy Love, said “Carmarthenshire is rife with puppy farms with dogs living in appalling conditions. Carmarthenshire Council continue to licence these premises and allow this cruelty to continue; since they refuse to act or even correspond with us, we have come here to tell them publicly that action must be taken to stop this suffering immediately”.

Puppy farms are found all over Britain, with most found in Ireland and Wales, and despite popular belief, are not illegal. Puppy farms can legally operate by applying for a Dog Breeding Licence from their Local Authority. It is the Local Authority’s responsibility to ensure that dog breeders meet animal welfare standards.

Patrick Bateson’s Independent Inquiry into Dog Breeding, commission by the Kennel Club and Dogs Trust, received a large number of submissions from animal charities and breeders about puppy farms. Concerns included poor hygiene and health standards, little socialisation and exercise, too many litters per dog and dogs being bred too old or too young. Bateson commented that “negligent management on puppy farms is a major welfare issue”.

Jan Gilmour, author of a petition for the council to enforce animal welfare licensing rules and apply the Animal Welfare acts 5 Freedoms will be taking part in the protest. Jan hopes to hand the updated petitions to Mr Philip Davies head of public protection. Signature numbers are still growing and currently stand at 3,787

Puppy Love chose All Fools Day as they felt it appropriate for the council who still refuse to admit the suffering going on in Carmarthenshire despite overwhelming evidence.

“Pennsylvania now has one of the most aggressive laws to protect dogs in the nation because Governor Rendell, working with the legislature, made it a priority,” said Redding. “Now, our department’s Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement is putting that law to work to protect ‘Man’s Best Friend.’ We’ve refused to issue licenses for those kennels that had a history of violations and our aggressive enforcement actions have shut down the most notorious commercial kennels in the state.”

Redding added that claims made today by Main Line Animal Rescue suggesting the Governor could control decisions made by the state’s Canine Health Board were incorrect.

The board is considering standards pertaining to what types of flooring kennels are allowed to use in the cages that house their dogs. The new Dog Law banned the use of wire flooring that can destroy a dog’s feet over time and specified that flooring should be solid or slatted. The Canine Health Board, comprised of nine veterinarians, is under pressure from breeder lobbyists and flooring manufacturers to approve alternative types of flooring.

“Governor Rendell has been adamant that he believes kennels should abide by the law and, on the matter of flooring, only use cages with solid or slatted floors because he feels that is what’s best for these dogs,” said Redding. “We, including Governor Rendell, have had numerous conversations with those in the industry and those on the Canine Health Board about this issue, but ultimately, we do not control to board’s decision. For anyone to suggest otherwise is flat wrong.

“Ultimately, we will seek strong regulations reflective of the statute that the General Assembly overwhelmingly approved and the public widely supports.”

Pennsylvania’s Canine Health Board could pass what they see as an alternative to the solid flooring requirement, now part of Governor Rendell’s new dog laws. For years, dogs in Pennsylvania’s notorious puppy mills were forced to spend the entirety of their lives standing on wire flooring – which can be extremely painful and can often cause serious health problems and injuries to the dogs’ feet and legs. Animal welfare advocates are concerned that members of the CHB will vote to accept steel mesh hog flooring as an alternative to solid flooring which could result in millions of Pennsylvania’s dogs being forced to live on flooring similar to what was banned in commercial kennels in 2008.

“Dogs are not pigs,” says Bill Smith of Main Line Animal Rescue. Smith continues, “You don’t have to be a expert in animal husbandry to know their feet are not the same — dogs’ feet are much more delicate, and can become entrapped in the openings of hog flooring.” Advocates throughout the Commonwealth cannot understand why Governor Rendell, who included the solid flooring requirement as part of his new dog law in 2008, has not stepped up to prevent the board from reversing an important aspect of his own law. Rendell controls the majority of the votes on the nine member board. “It would be so easy for the Governor to stop this — he just needs to make the effort, and he needs to do it before the end of March when the board next convenes,” says Smith.

For more information about the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement or to view kennel inspection reports, visit www.agriculture.state.pa.us, click on “Bureaus, Commissions & Councils,” and select “Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement.”

Tips about unsatisfactory or illegal kennels can be reported confidentially by using the Department’s Web complaint form, or calling 1-877-DOG-TIP1.

On the 14th March during the live coverage of Crufts there was a discussion on puppy farming involving Marc Abrahams and Linzi Follet.

During the discussion some of our undercover filming was shown leading to us receiving emails and telephone calls from supporters or members who thought that we were now supporting the Kennel Club campaign. People were upset with us as a result of this as we have always maintained our position that we cannot endorse or associate the Kennel Club whilst they continue to take money from puppy farmers, the very people they seek to criticise on TV but who’s cheques the Kennel Club is happy to cash.

We would like to make it plain, for avoidance of any doubt or confusion, our film was used without permission from us just as they have used our photographs to promote their campaign and the Accredited Breeder Scheme in the past. We did not endorse this, agree to it and were never even asked for permission.

Let us make it perfectly clear, we do NOT support the Kennel Club or the message they give out about Accredited Breeders being the only way to buy a healthy, ethically reared puppy. We feel this is misleading and, worse, uses the very serious issue of puppy farming as a means by which to promote their own schemes. The Kennel Club do not make it plain to the public that puppy farmers have, and continue to, register their puppies with the Kennel Club’s registry.

During our undercover work we find puppy farmers who are KC registered, the dogs live in filth, are over-bred and pups are sickly yet still the KC allow these people to make more money from these pups as they grant them the perceived endorsement of Kennel Club paperwork.

At the same time they are pushing the Accredited Breeder Scheme as supposedly ‘ideal breeders’ who do all the right things. We do not agree with this view and have concerns about some fairly major weaknesses in the Accredited Breeder Scheme which have not been addressed by the Kennel Club.

Not all Accredited Breeder Scheme bred puppies are raised in a family environment nor are they all socialised and conditions at some breeders who are members of the scheme leave a lot to be desired.

When buying a puppy do your homework.

Do not accept a breeder’s paperwork as a sure-fire sign of their responsibility. Check and double check before you make your decision. There are very, very good breeders out there, some who refuse to go on the Accredited Breeder Scheme list due to weakness with the scheme, they are however excellent breeders none the the less.

Once again we reiterate, we do not support the KC campaign and wish to completely disassociate from it.

Visit the Puppy Love website, support the fight against puppy farms today!

Regular readers may have noticed, I’ve been pretty quiet since its publication – the reason? Well, it seemed logical to me to take the time to digest both it and the responses to it from the people who are in position to actually do something on the back of its findings. Whilst I don’t want to use this column to speak about the Bateson report in general detail, I do want to focus on an element that I believe has gone largely unnoticed, and certainly received little attention – Professor Bateson, finally, gave us all a definition of what, precisely, a puppy farmer is in terms we can all understand.Hidden away in the definitions section of the Bateson report is a little, as yet unlit, stick of dynamite.

For years now, this magazine has asked ‘What exactly IS a puppy farmer?’

Is there a magic number at which point someone goes from being ‘responsible breeder’ to ‘puppy farmer’?

Well, it would seem there is!

The Kennel Club has been vocal in criticising puppy farming. Rightly so. Puppy farms are a disgrace and the very fact that they appear to show no signs of decline suggests we have much work to do in terms of ending their vile existence.

As we’ve pointed out before, the Kennel Club, whilst vocally opposing puppy farming, actually takes money from the very people who profit from this sick trade.

It points to its Accredited Breeder Scheme as the ‘best’ place for people to go if they want to avoid the puppy farmers.

So, it may come with a sting to have learned – if anyone actually noticed – that the good Professor, the man the Kennel Club (and Dogs Trust) empowered to conduct the report in to dog breeding has actually given us that magical number that now enables us to label a breeder as a stone cold puppy farmer.

By now, you’re probably wondering what the figure is?

How many litters – per year – do you need to be breeding before you tip the scale from ‘responsible’ to ‘dog farmer’.

And here it is. Written in to the definitions of the Bateson report:

Dog farm: Any establishment breeding dogs which, by virtue of the numbers of bitches/ litters involved, falls under the licensing provisions of the Breeding of Dogs Act.

Ahhh. So, not quite got that EXACT number yet.

Not to worry…

Under the Breeding of Dogs Act, a person falls under the licensing provisions if:

(3) Subject to subsection (5) of this section, where—

(a) a person keeps a bitch at any premises at any time during any period of twelve months; and

(b) the bitch gives birth to a litter of puppies at any time during that period,

he shall be treated as carrying on a business of breeding dogs for sale at the premises throughout the period if a total of four or more other litters is born during the period to bitches falling within subsection (4) of this section.

(4) The bitches falling within this subsection are—

(a) the bitch mentioned in subsection (3)(a) and (b) of this section and any other bitches kept by the person at the premises at any time during the period;

(b) any bitches kept by any relative of his at the premises at any such time;

(c) any bitches kept by him elsewhere at any such time; and

(d) any bitches kept (anywhere) by any person at any such time under a breeding arrangement made with him.

So there we have it. Black on white.

According to the Bateson report, the definition of a’dog farm’ / puppy farm is any breeder who produces four or more litters per year.

Let’s put that in big letters – for clarity:

Any breeder who produces four (or more) litters per year is defined as a dog farm / a puppy farmer.

Now then, thanks to the Kennel Club’s own commissioned report – if you breed four litters (or more) we finally have the definition we’ve been looking for all these years.

And, thanks to this definition, we can now begin to examine the data to see just how many ‘dog farmers’ are putting money in to the Kennel Club’s coffers each year. Oh, and might we expect to find some accredited breeders who also produce ‘four or more’ litters per year?

Hmm. I think we might.

Thank you Professor Bateson (and the Kennel Club and Dogs Trust) – the puppy farming definition has been elusive. But now we have it.

It’s time for action. Puppy farming must end and it must end NOW.

The Marshall County Sheriff’s Department, led by Sheriff Kenny Dickerson, served a warrant, along with Sgt. Kelly McMillan, Investigators Gary Byrd and David Pannell and Officer Tracy Jefferies. Charges against the puppy mill’s owners, John and Nancy Garrison, are currently pending, but the dogs have been signed over to the ASPCA.

Tim Rickey, the ASPCA’s Senior Director of Field Investigations and Response, said the dogs, which include small breeds such as Shih Tzus, Lhasa Apsos, Pugs, Yorkshire Terriers, Corgis, and Chihuahuas, were discovered living in feces-encrusted pens and filth. He said many of the dogs are underweight and appear to have skin problems, among other medical conditions. Several dead adult dogs and puppies were also discovered.

Also on the scene with the ASPCA are the American Humane Association, Marshall County Humane Society, Mississippi State University and Collierville (Tenn.) Humane Society, are removing and transporting animals to an emergency shelter site at the Marshall County Humane Society Clinic in Byhalia, Miss., where they will be triaged by a veterinary team and temporarily sheltered before being exported to other animal welfare agencies and ultimately made available for adoption.

“The ASPCA works in partnership with local groups to rescue animals like these from deplorable conditions,” said Matt Bershadker, Senior Vice President of Anti-Cruelty for the ASPCA. “Without the support and collaboration of these agencies, this crucial, life-saving work would not be possible.”

Veterinarians, including Dr. Rebecca Coleman of Memphis, Tenn., Dr. Phil Bushby, a faculty member at Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, and Dr. Kimberly Woodruff, also with Mississippi State, are examining animals, and those requiring immediate medical care will be treated.

“We appreciate the diligence of the Marshall County Prosecutor’s Office in pursuing this case and are pleased to be able to lend our assistance, both in terms of human resources and equipment, in our ongoing fight against animal cruelty,” said Rickey.

The investigation was set into motion after local officials contacted the ASPCA several weeks ago.

“Puppy mills are substandard commercial breeding operations that house dogs in overcrowded and often unsanitary conditions, without adequate veterinary care, food, water and socialization,” said Rickey. “We want to see this cruelty come to an end.”

For more information about puppy mills and how to fight animal cruelty, visit www.aspca.org.

Following the CAPS undercover investigation of West Hollywood pet stores and a five and a half month protest of West Hollywood pet store Elite Animals, W. Hollywood City Council will be considering an ordinance that will prohibit the sale of dogs and cats in pet shops, with an exemption for the adoptions of shelter and rescue animals.

CAPS investigated Elite Animals and discovered that the store was selling puppy mill dogs and defrauding customers. CAPS obtained undercover footage of employees of the store telling CAPS investigators that their dogs were from “good, private breeders.” Elite Animals was also selling dogs from commercial breeding operations in Russia, outside the jurisdiction of the Animal Welfare Act. The W. Hollywood pet store was in violation of a federal law prohibiting the import of dogs under the age of six months for resale (Farm Bill of 2008).

CAPS investigators also obtained graphic footage of abused dogs from Elite Animals’ suppliers, Gerry and Angie Wensmann, who operate a substandard breeding facility in Minnesota. The puppy mill supplying Elite Animals in WEHO and other retailers around the nation has multiple violations reported by inspectors for the USDA. The dogs are exposed to the elements, caged in harsh and filthy conditions, are injured, sick, and show signs of severe psychological distress.

CAPS assisted the Animal Legal Defense Fund and the City of West Hollywood in drafting the ordinance as well as providing evidence.

“West Hollywood’s City Council has shown great leadership, wise judgment and compassion by considering an ordinance banning the sale of cats and dogs in our city’s pet stores. During this historic recession afflicting our state, we must relieve our overburdened shelters by promoting adoption as the only ethical choice when bringing a companion animal into our hearts and homes. This ordinance, if it passes, will save countless shelter animals’ lives locally and will send a strong message to abusive commercial breeders all over the nation.” –Carole Davis, W. Coast Director, CAPS

“This could be the beginning of the end of puppy mills and it’s happening in W. Hollywood, one of the most progressive cities on animal welfare issues.” –Ed Buck, Social Compassion in Legislation Director and West Hollywood resident.

For more information please visit www.caps-web.org

To most people the term ‘Puppy Farm’ conjures up just that, an isolated farm in the country where the outbuildings are full of different breeds being kept in squalid conditions, treated like breeding machines producing litter after litter to satisfy the demand. Of course this scenario to a certain extent is true but after almost 2 decades working with the RSPCA primarily as an Inspector I’ve got a slightly different idea of what I consider a puppy farm and it might surprise you.

‘Puppy Farms’

My first encounter with a puppy farmer was as an RSPCA Inspector recently posted to South Wales in the early 1990’s. The Regional control centre had received a complaint from a member of public who had bought a Sheltie puppy from a lady and which had subsequently become ill and died. The caller to the RSPCA was also concerned that there seemed to be an excessively large number of dogs in outbuildings and sheds around the house so I set off to investigate.

As I drove up the long drive to the large detached house I could hear the barking of dogs coming from different locations around the property including inside the house. The door was answered by a well dressed elderly lady and over her shoulder in the kitchen I noticed rows of cages containing pedigree cats seconds before the smell of ammonia hit me and made my eyes water.

After explaining the reason for my visit I was shown around the various sheds, garages and even coal bunkers and noted in excess of 30 Shelties, mostly female and mostly dirty being kept in cramped and clearly unsuitable conditions. All the dogs were however receiving adequate food and water and were physically in good condition under the dirt.

The cats too despite the ammonia were well fed with food and water and amazingly didn’t seem to be suffering any breathing problems or watery eyes as a result of the way they were being kept.

As this was long before the Animal Welfare Act came into force and I was still working with the old Protection of Animals Act 1911 there was little I could do but offer strong advice and refer the matter to the Local Authority for possible breaches of the Breeding of Dogs Act.

So was this lady a puppy farmer? In my opinion she was but before you reach your conclusion I will add a few more details. The caller to the RSPCA had found her via the Kennel Club Website where she was advertising her KC registered and Pedigree pups for sale, she was also a well known Show Judge and a member of the Cat Fancy. The Pedigree cats were also for sale and advertised in the equivalent organisations publications.

I did check to see if she was still actively showing her dogs as there was an exemption for breeders to sell the puppies not good enough to show and not have to register with the local authority but this lady hadn’t shown anything in a long time.

Have you changed your mind now? I hope not ,as unfortunately this incident set the pattern for my the rest of my RSPCA Inspectorate career and whilst my colleagues in West Wales were indeed dealing with large scale typical puppy farms I was encountering this scenario time and time again.

The most recent cases I encountered before I left the RSPCA in 2008 both involved breeders of the same species of rare pedigree dog and one of the people involved was actually the President of the National Breed Society which had Kennel Club affiliation. These people subjected their animals to horrendous living conditions but because they were fed and watered and looked in good condition no-one was any the wiser.

The ‘President’ even wrote about the need for socialisation of the dogs as the breed was notoriously timid and a one person dog, yet kept most of her stock in filthy, dark sweatboxes which on the day of our raid were approaching 35 degrees Centigrade when the sun came out.

To look at ,the dogs seemed in good condition and some of the favoured ones had even recently been placed in shows. On closer examination however most were suffering from teeth, skin or behavioural problems as a result of the food and husbandry practices.

Thankfully all the above were prosecuted for cruelty and banned from keeping dogs for a minimum of 10 years.

Now this isn’t an attack on breeders as the majority I have encountered have been extremely good custodians of whichever breed they specialise in but rather a chance for you to step back for a moment and reflect on the definition of what is a ‘puppy farm’.

In my book it is anybody who breeds for profit or recognition, sells the offspring and keeps their animals in conditions that breach the universally accepted standard of the 5 Freedoms.

Clearly if these people had kept all their stock and not sold any then that would make them an Animal Hoarder which is a whole new level of neglect.

‘Mini Puppy Farms’

Now puppy farms don’t have to be large undertakings and in my time I’ve encountered a number of people who I would consider to be ‘farmers’ but who only have half a dozen bitches. One particular guy on the outskirts of Gloucester used to breed Rottweilers and German Shepherd dogs when they were in fashion along with Labradors.

He kept his dogs in small cages dotted around his property which was a mobile home next to a main road. He was very careful to make sure that he never had more than one litter of anything on his premises at any one time and used to advertise in the local free paper using friends telephone numbers so no-one could trace how many litters he was actually producing a year.

When a spate of attacks by Rottweilers caused the breed, and larger dogs in general, to fall out of popularity he just dumped all his Rottweiler and German Shepherd bitches in a lay-by 10 miles away and restocked with Jack Russell Terriers and smaller breeds. Unfortunately I couldn’t link the dumped dogs to him so he got away with it.

‘Dealers’

In my view dealers are anyone who doesn’t actually own the bitch but rather just buy the litter and sell them on. These vary from people buying puppies from the free papers cheap and selling them on all the way up to professional dealers who import puppies wholesale from Ireland.

There are any number of ‘couriers’ travelling the Irish route who drive from Southern Ireland through Northern Ireland, catch a ferry , land in Wales and then drive through to London and repeat the journey in reverse who for a fee will transport your dog or litter of puppies wherever you want along their particular route.

Safeguards

So what can you do to safeguard yourself from these Puppy Farmers and Dealers ? The answer is already widely publicised but I will give you my version.

* Adverts – Most reputable free ad papers make breeders pay a premium and declare themselves as ‘Trade’ if they advertise more than a certain number of litters. To get round this the breeders or dealers usually ask a friend to put the advert in and when you phone you will be asked to phone a different number – be very suspicious if this happens or the person answering the phone is not the one who owns the pups. Report this to the advertising department of the paper concerned.
* Also never specify which puppies you are phoning up about. If the breeder has to ask what breed you are after then be suspicious.
* Never meet ‘halfway’. The seller might make out they are doing you a favour but they could be trying to hide something. Unless you live on the Isle of Skye you should be able to travel to see the pups at their home. After all the puppy you are buying is going to be a part of your family for the next 10 or so years so you should be prepared to spend some time and make the right decision . Quite often the dealers and breeders know the people are keen to buy a puppy and often turn up with just one or two in the car saying the others were sold . If they have arranged to see 6 people and already driven to the first five you will end up with a choice of exactly 1 puppy. In the event you are after a particularly uncommon breed you will probably have had to go via the Kennel Club anyway to find the breeder, so be prepared for them to want to check YOU out as well.
* Always see the bitch with the pups. When I say ‘with’ I actually mean ‘with’ not just ‘at the same address as’. Just because you are buying Labrador puppies and the guy has a Labrador bitch out in the garden does it automatically follow that the two are related ? Sounds cynical I know but after almost 20 years I’ve developed a healthy (although some would say unhealthy) desire to check what people say before taking it on face value. Ask why the bitch is outside away from the pups ? If the answer sounds weird , challenge it. “They are weaned” (are they old enough ?), “she’s having a break from them” , “she’s not good with strangers” (possible temperament issues or just protective) .
* There should be no reason why you are not be allowed to say hello to the mum so ask if she can be brought in. If she comes in check her over, does she look like she has finished nursing the pups , does she interact with the owner in a normal manner or is she distant with him or her like she doesn’t know them ? Trust your instincts and if something doesn’t feel right it probably isn’t so walk away.
* Paperwork – Always check any paperwork before you part with your cash as once you have handed it over you really don’t have much leverage. If they say the pups are KC registered then ask to see the paperwork, ask to see any certificates and any veterinary reports such as Hip scores or eye tests. Make sure they are originals and that the name and address on any letters matches the name and address of the person you are talking to. You wouldn’t buy a car from someone in Devon if it was apparently registered to someone in Manchester would you ? So don’t settle for less with your new puppy.
* Vaccinations – Although technically paperwork I’ve included it on its own as it is vitally important that your new puppy is vaccinated properly. Always check the certificate carefully. At the very least it should have a description of your new pup, breed, sex, age, D.O.B etc and the details of the vet that carried out the vaccination. This should be local so it is worth checking out the names and addresses of local vets on the internet before you head off to see you potential purchase. It should be signed by the vet who carried out the examination and the seller should not object to you phoning the vet to check if you are worried about any details. Most vaccine bottles now come with peel off stickers detailing batch numbers and expiry date which can just be stuck on the certificate so read these carefully and make sure it is in date. It is well known that vaccines are smuggled in from Ireland and overseas and by failing to transport them in an appropriate manner and at the required temperature can destroy their viability and render them useless. I’ve come across instances of whole trays of new vaccines sitting in hot vans or sheds clearly well above their ‘keep refrigerated’ temperature limit.

There are many more indicators of a dodgy potential puppy farm animal but if you stick to my basic 7 point checklist then you shouldn’t go far wrong. To tamper with the ‘Crimewatch’ mantra – The incidents I have detailed above are the exception rather than the rule and the bulk of breeders and people selling puppies are honest and caring. However don’t let the small minority get away with cruelty and neglect.

(c) Glyn Roberts. All rights reserved.