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Border Collie Rescue - On Line - Puppy Farming.

"I will never understand why people continue to breed animals when there are already so many animals here to exploit and abuse." - Greg Lawson

Some information and links concerning Puppy Farming

Over the years we have found ourselves taking a growing interest in this subject.

You have probably heard of puppy farming - the mass breeding of pups for sale to the pet market - but are you aware of the scale of the problem? - how much money is involved? - how many people turn a blind eye to the suffering of the dogs involved? - how it pervades and corrupts our society and how its influence affects our lawmakers and enforcers when they try to legislate to control it?

We are not talking of 'farmers' in the normal sense of the word, although some of the perpetrators are indeed farmers with a sideline to boost their income, most are just rather callous people who are taking advantage of an opportunity to make an easy profit.

When we use the term 'puppy farmers' we are describing an attitude of mind methodically applied to breeding dogs. To a puppy farmer the dogs they employ in their breeding programs are simply commodities. A means to an end. These dogs mean no more to them than a potato means to a potato farmer. Something to be planted and harvested. So what if some of the 'potatoes' wilt and die? So what if some die slowly due to lack of care and basic needs like fresh water and proper nutrition? There are plenty that will live - at least long enough to reproduce a few times. And what about the fruits of the crop - the puppies - doesn't matter if a few of these die - there will always be enough that survive for at least as long as is needed for them to be sold and produce the profit required. Once the money is in their pockets the puppy farmers simply do not care about the outcome for the puppies.

Puppy farming is death and torture for the dogs caught up in the trade and the trade feeds on people desires to possess a pet and ignorance of the way the pups are bred. Puppy farmers are well organised and they seek to cover their activities under a veneer of respectability. They work together to protect each other. They seek to influence from within the establishment - for example, we have come across one who has a boyfriend working for the local council that licenses her establishment - he is a dog warden. Another we are aware of has a brother who runs the local dog stray pound for the council. By these means and other ways of influencing from within they can improve their chances of hearing about complaints and spot inspections in enough time to cover up and clean up.

We are not talking about happy sires and dams enjoying the life and fresh air of the countryside and bringing their healthy well bred offspring into a caring environment with plenty of room for exercise. We are talking the lifestyle of a battery hen with minimal care and veterinary attention bringing poorly bred pups into often badly maintained premises and sometimes never seeing the outside world or getting any human care and attention. Fresh air is available - coming through the broken windows and holes in the roof.

Of course we are generalising here - not all puppy farms are like this - some are much worse.

These days, most pet shops get their stock from commercial breeders (puppy farmers). Buying a pup from a pet shop or through an advert in the papers is supporting this trade and you simply should not do it. It makes you as bad as them. Find out more by reading the pages on the websites linked below and in the meantime - remember this - Never Buy A Puppy From A Pet Shop.

To find out why click here and read this message from - Say No to Animals in Pet Shops - an Australian organisation.

A Case History

Support & fellowship for owners of ex puppy farm and rescue dogs.

If you have a puppy farm bred dog, you may want to share your experiences with others who also have dogs from puppy farms. The following group has been set up specifically to help people with puppy farm problems.

http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/purdyspals/

We already have one or two articles dotted around our site that mention various aspects of puppy farming.

Posted - February 1st 2007

If you are concerned about the problems of puppy farming and wish to sign a petition urging the Prime Minister to introduce legislation to completely ban this offensive means of 'cash cropping' mans best friend, then you should use the link below -

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/banpuppyfarms/

The link will take you to the appropriate petition page on the Downing Street official website where you can sign.

Petition organised by Becky Smith who sent the link to us.

Information from around the UK and abroad.

The following links are to articles on websites from around the world.

www.purdysprotest.com - website run by 'Purdy' a puppy farm bred dog - lots of questions answered and points made.

England

Inside Out - Puppy Love? The Breeding and Sale of dogs Act - HMSO - 1999

Scotland

Crufts judge in hiding after puppy farm accusations Puppy Farm Imports

Wales

Wales - Magnet for puppy farms Puppy Farm Grants Row Funding puppy farms questioned Conservative party press release Say No to Puppy farms Centre Angry at Puppy Farm abuse Animal rights groups in Wales

Ireland

ISPCA Raid Democrats back plans for Controls Puppy Farm Capital Puppy farm shut down Irish Examiner Article ISPCA re-home puppy farm dogs Fingal County Council say -

USA

Mo-Kan BCR - Missouri Puppy Mills AKC takes it on the chin Puppy 'Lemon' Law? Prisoners for profit

Canada

No Puppy Mills Public Comments

Australia and New Zealand

Say No to Animals in Pet Shops Animal rights groups in Aus A problem for NZ ?

Asia

Puppy Mills Buying a pup Trading in Dog Meat

Belgium

http://www.broodfok.be

An unusual situation in Japan (unusual for us, but common enough in Japan)

Some Organisations / Websites / Articles informing and / or campaigning against Puppy Farms

A Dogs Life PuppyWatch Wag UK HOPE UK Bichon Frise Rescue Prevent Unwanted Pets West Highland White A Backward Step - Welsh Assembly funds Puppy farmers

HBO Documentary Movie - Dealing Dogs - expose puppy farming trade - review and preview links here

The breeding and sale of dogs act (welfare) 1999 and preceding acts of 1973 and 1991 gives Councils the power to licence breeding establishments. Although all councils are interpreting the same law, the information they gather, the conditions they require and the way they inspect premises and enforce legal requirements varies. The information they display on their website also varies in content and quantity. Have a look at some of them.

Warrington Borough Council PDF file - Breeding of dogs act 1973 and 1991 and Breeding and sale of dogs (Welfare) act 1999

Well done Warrington. you get the prize for providing the most information.

Some information from other councils around the UK as to how they interpret and enforce the act.

Maidstone B Council Application form Mid Devon D Council

Salford City Council Spelthorne B Council Waverley B Council Selby D Council Woking B Council

Torbay Council Glasgow C Council East Dumbarton Council

To navigate through other articles on our website that cover puppy farming and associated topics like breeding and inherited problems, use the image of 'Kane' ( below ), who is just one of the puppy farmed dogs that BCR takes in each year. The image will appear at the bottom of each relevant article. Click the image and you will be taken to the next article. At the bottom of that article will be another image to take you to the next - and so on - until you will eventually return to the top of this page.

Follow that dog !

Posted - February 1st 2007

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/banpuppyfarms/

The link will take you to the appropriate petition page on the Downing Street official website where you can sign.

Petition organised by Becky Smith who sent the link to us.

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