Truth About Cats And Dogs - 250,000 Killed Each Year

[SkySoaringMagpie]

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/truth-ab...00605-xlr4.html

Truth about cats and dogs: 250,000 killed every year

RACHEL BROWNE

June 6, 2010

MORE than a quarter of a million healthy cats and dogs are destroyed in Australia every year because there are not enough homes for them.

Behind the numbers there is a vicious debate about the oversupply of animals and what can be done to tackle the problem.

On one side, animal welfare groups backed by Sydney lord mayor and NSW independent MP Clover Moore blame commercial breeders for breeding too many animals and pet shops for supplying them to an unsuspecting public.

On the other side, pet shops say they are operating within ethical guidelines and buy their animals from reputable breeders rather than so-called puppy and kitten farmers.

But there are points they can agree on. Breeders need tighter regulation and kill rates are too high.

The RSPCA has taken the first step, releasing a discussion paper on puppy farming and inviting interested parties to make submissions.

''One of the reasons that we introduced the discussion paper was to get the debate happening,'' RSPCA NSW chief inspector David O'Shannessy said. He agrees that puppy and kitten farmers - who range from large-scale commercial breeders to smaller backyard breeders - are contributing to the problem of oversupply but says many of them are operating within the law.

''There is a variation between properties you might describe as puppy farms. Some of them are absolutely deplorable. But others are meeting the minimum requirements of care and are therefore legal.''

The RSPCA has conducted high-profile raids on puppy farms in the past three years, including on one facility in NSW where 190 dogs were being kept in filthy conditions, surrounded by faeces and dead puppies.

The RSPCA find it a difficult area to police and enforce.

''It's hard to actually track these people down,'' Mr O'Shannessy said. ''Often they will advertise dogs on the internet and only give a mobile number as a contact. They won't sell to people on the premises. They'll arrange to meet you in a car park or another public place so you don't get to see the conditions that the animals are living in.''

Australian Veterinary Association president Mark Lawrie agrees the lack of regulation on breeding makes it problematic to enforce legislation. ''It's hard to know the extent of the problem of indiscriminate breeding. It's hard to get any reliable statistics.''

Dr Lawrie claims that animal lovers who accumulate large numbers of pets contribute more to over-population than farmers. ''I actually think animal hoarding is a bigger problem in terms of indiscriminate breeding. That's a complex issue because it involves mental health.''

But welfare groups maintain there are hundreds of puppy and kitten farms in Australia, and groups such as the RSPCA and local councils are not doing enough to stamp it out.

''At the moment it is completely unregulated,'' said Animal Liberation NSW project officer Jacqueline, who prefers her surname not to be used due to her undercover field work.

''Anyone with two animals can call themselves a breeder. They do so with the complicity of local councils who are supposed to inspect the premises and with the complicity of the RSPCA, which is reluctant to investigate.

''They have the complicity of the pet shops, which then sell the animals, and the complicity of vets who tend to the animals. Many of these animals are sold sick or with inherited problems due to inbreeding or with behavioural problems.''

Paul Archer, of welfare group Death Row Pets, said farmers specifically targeted pet shop chains and websites to offload their animals. ''The bad breeders will sell to anyone. They don't care - they're in it for profit, not the welfare of the animal. We need the public to stop and think about what they're doing before they buy an animal from a pet shop or a website.''

But the Pet Industry Association of Australia's chief executive Roger Perkins denies pet shops are selling animals farmed cruelly. ''Retailers buy their animals from reputable sources. They offer vet services post-sale, vaccination, microchipping and desexing. In terms of controlling over population, retailers are doing the responsible thing.''

Jacqueline disagrees, based on her first-hand knowledge of pet shop practices: ''Apparently the pet industry believes it's OK to breed animals, export them all over the country, fly them around in small crates when they're only seven weeks old and put them in the window of a shop. Apparently that's not cruelty.''

Clover Moore plans to re-introduce a bill that would ban the sale of non-rescue animals in pet shops next year. The bill has won the support of welfare groups.

Lisa Wolfenden, owner of Double Bay shop Dogs in the City, whose brother William made a documentary about puppy farming, refuses to stock animals at her business.

''I am an animal lover. I think it would be totally hypocritical of me to sell animals which have been bred in a cruel way,'' she said.

Both the RSPCA and Australian Veterinary Association, while not supporting the ban on animals in shops, are calling for greater regulation. As Dr Lawrie points out, vets ultimately bear the burden of unwanted animals. ''They are doing the euthanasing. That is traumatic - no one wants to kill animals.''

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[Shmurps]

Well I hope the RSPCA's campaign that was launched at the MPW Vic to close down puppy farms down works.

Pet shops that sell puppies do not do the right thing. The stories I have heard over the last few years makes me sick.

There is a woman in our area that has been farming puppies for more than 13 years and supplying shops. The more I have spoken to people about her

the more the stories get worse. At one time she had over 100 complaints and still nothing done. :D

[nickojoy]

''There is a variation between properties you might describe as puppy farms. Some of them are absolutely deplorable. But others are meeting the minimum requirements of care and are therefore legal.''

So its ok to breed every season with the bitch? PFFF Please RSPCA get a grip...

Clover Moore plans to re-introduce a bill that would ban the sale of non-rescue animals in pet shops next year. The bill has won the support of welfare groups.

Would rescue groups be happy with their animals at a pet shop?

''They have the complicity of the pet shops, which then sell the animals, and the complicity of vets who tend to the animals. Many of these animals are sold sick or with inherited problems due to inbreeding or with behavioural problems.''

I didn't realise that if you inbred you could inherit problems! Maybe if they just start hitting these BYB's and puppy farms with huge fines they might stop. How about $10k for breeding a animal without being registered and send that money back into our pounds???

[Alyosha]

''There is a variation between properties you might describe as puppy farms. Some of them are absolutely deplorable. But others are meeting the minimum requirements of care and are therefore legal.''

So its ok to breed every season with the bitch? PFFF Please RSPCA get a grip...

Clover Moore plans to re-introduce a bill that would ban the sale of non-rescue animals in pet shops next year. The bill has won the support of welfare groups.

Would rescue groups be happy with their animals at a pet shop?

''They have the complicity of the pet shops, which then sell the animals, and the complicity of vets who tend to the animals. Many of these animals are sold sick or with inherited problems due to inbreeding or with behavioural problems.''

I didn't realise that if you inbred you could inherit problems! Maybe if they just start hitting these BYB's and puppy farms with huge fines they might stop. How about $10k for breeding a animal without being registered and send that money back into our pounds???

Unfortunately the RSPCA can only enforce existing laws. And it is not against any law to breed a bitch at each season. Horrible as it is, it's simply not legislated against. The same goes for breeding unregistered animals. There is no law stopping them breeding whatever animals they want. The law only provides for cruelty etc offences when minimum standards of care are not met.

Clover Moore's bill also calls for very tight restriction on registered breeders - from memory it defines any place where animals may be bred as a commercial premises?? So that includes breeder's homes. Things like that have the potential to actually encourage companion animal farming as the average joe who breeds a litter every year or two at home cannot comply with the strict requirements.

[mikebailey]

While it was great to see shelter killing being brought to the public's attention, it's time to stop blaming 'Overpopulation' and address the real causes.

We can all help find more homes for shelter dogs (and cats!) by promoting adoption. http://Goodfordogs.org/ http://petrescue.com.au/

[ILK]

Yes I saw this article - front page news.... So very devastating. Why can't we just get the breeding right. It would be so easy only to breed if you are a registered breeder full stop.

If people just did the right thing we wouldn't have these problems. I am living in a fantasy I know, but all this death so unecessary.

[Stitch]

Every time I have visited a dog pound it has been filled with cross bred dogs eg. X kelpies, cattledogs, and various mixed breed dogs. Only very occasionally do I see a purebred.

Now someone had to breed these dogs in the first place!! Is this not the logical place to start in trying to stem the flow of x bred puppies that seem to be constantly available???

I always get concerned when I see Animal Liberationists being asked for their solution to a problem though, as they have a set agenda and we all know what that is.

Care must be taken that responsible breeders of purebred dogs do not become victims of all the regulation the Animal Libers would like to heap upon us!!