New Codes Released For Victoria

[Steve]

http://www.depi.vic.gov.au/pets/domestic-animal-businesses/breeding-and-rearing-businesses/breeding-and-rearing-code-review

And they tell us that this is what is best for the dogs?

Thank God I dont live in Victoria

[Steve]

Oh and guess what????

I just completed my course and got my email of notice of my completion - what a joke.

[Leah82]

a definite improvement on what they had before although there are a few areas which could still be changed, half an hour minimum handling per dog seems low and would be nice to have relevant genetic testing for breeding animals to be mandatory but it's probably unrealistic at the moment.

At the end of the day DEPI have to set a minimum standard otherwise there are plenty of people out there that will do the wrong thing to make a few bucks. I imagine most breeders registered with dogs VIC won't have to change what they are doing in order to comply with the code.

[Steve]

So....

2 (6) Staff ratio

The minimum of one full-time staff member (includes any staff member including proprietor, operations manager and animal attendants) must

be onsite at the business for every 25 fertile animals (or equivalent) housed in the business during business hours. The staffing ratio must be

maintained 7 days per week.

A single fertile animal equivalent is:

• any animal over the age of 16 weeks

• a litter and its mother while the litter remains housed with its mother

• a litter no longer residing with its mother, but under the age of 16 weeks.

For example, 14 females, 3 males, 6 litters residing with their mothers, and 2 litters without their mothers is equivalent to 25 fertile animals and

require one full-time staff member during business hours.

In addition, the minimum of one staff member (includes any staff member including proprietor, operations manager and animal attendants)

must be onsite at the business for every 100 fertile animals (or equivalent) housed in the business overnight. For example, 80 females,

5 males, 10 litters with their mothers and 5 litters without their mothers is equivalent to 100 fertile adults and requires one full-time staff member

overnight.

In addition, sufficient staff (including those already residing at the business overnight) for a ratio of 1:50 fertile animals (or equivalent) housed in

the business overnight must be ‘on call’ to attend the business in the case of an emergency. On call overnight staff must be able to travel to the

property within 30 minutes of contact. 8

Overnight staff must be available to care for whelping/queening animals, sick or injured animals and undertake emergency activities should the

need arise.

For businesses with fewer than 25 fertile animals (or equivalents), there is no requirement for full-time staffing; however, females showing signs

of labour or in labour must be monitored as per requirements detailed in this Code

This in fact could be 100 plus animals per one staff member and only required during business hours - an improvement? I don't think so.

[espinay2]

Did the course too out of curiosity. It did have more information in it than I thought it would, but the questions were a bit 'light on'.

My biggest gripe on the course is the section on 'simple dominants and recessives'. Black and blue colour gene? Couldn't they at least have picked a real example?

This is bound to confuse people who dont understand that black and blue are NOT different alleles of the same gene as they were using it but are in fact two separate gene series!!!

[Leah82]

So....

2 (6) Staff ratio

The minimum of one full-time staff member (includes any staff member including proprietor, operations manager and animal attendants) must

be onsite at the business for every 25 fertile animals (or equivalent) housed in the business during business hours. The staffing ratio must be

maintained 7 days per week.

A single fertile animal equivalent is:

• any animal over the age of 16 weeks

• a litter and its mother while the litter remains housed with its mother

• a litter no longer residing with its mother, but under the age of 16 weeks.

For example, 14 females, 3 males, 6 litters residing with their mothers, and 2 litters without their mothers is equivalent to 25 fertile animals and

require one full-time staff member during business hours.

In addition, the minimum of one staff member (includes any staff member including proprietor, operations manager and animal attendants)

must be onsite at the business for every 100 fertile animals (or equivalent) housed in the business overnight. For example, 80 females,

5 males, 10 litters with their mothers and 5 litters without their mothers is equivalent to 100 fertile adults and requires one full-time staff member

overnight.

In addition, sufficient staff (including those already residing at the business overnight) for a ratio of 1:50 fertile animals (or equivalent) housed in

the business overnight must be ‘on call’ to attend the business in the case of an emergency. On call overnight staff must be able to travel to the

property within 30 minutes of contact. 8

Overnight staff must be available to care for whelping/queening animals, sick or injured animals and undertake emergency activities should the

need arise.

For businesses with fewer than 25 fertile animals (or equivalents), there is no requirement for full-time staffing; however, females showing signs

of labour or in labour must be monitored as per requirements detailed in this Code

This in fact could be 100 plus animals per one staff member and only required during business hours - an improvement? I don't think so.

what were the staffing requirements in the previous code? I don't remember.

I do know that the previous exercise requirements were 10 minutes twice a day and now it's 30 mins twice a day plus they now factor in enrichment and socialisation so that is definitely an improvement.

I have a dog that was a breeder at a puppy farm until she was 7 so I understand what these establishments do to dogs. Personally I would like the number of fertile cats and dogs to be restricted across the board in order to elimiate the cost benefit for large breeding establishments and have all breeding cats and dogs to be part of a loving home, however the above code is progress and I'm not going to argue with progress.

[Dame Aussie]

How do they enforce these things though? If I only walked my dog once a day, how would they really know?

[WreckitWhippet]

I can't register for some reason the button won't click.. ahh well back to the pond with the rest of the scum

[tdierikx]

Still geared towards commercial "breeding" establishments very much, isn't it?

T.

[Linda K]

heat lamps for kittens - I don;t think so, will be sticking with my thermostat heating pad thanks. And I will not be raising my newborn pen to a ridicuolous dangerous height of 1.8m, because some nincompoop has forgotten that even if I make the shelves so kittens can;t access them, um, mother cats can carry kittens in their mouths......... Just plain dumb, and no real improvements to anything except for the lining of vet pockets, with queens now needing to go to the vet within 4 weeks of mating, and then also within 8 weeks after delivery. Very pointless.