This text is about puppy farming as it has been a huge known problem for decades. A puppy farm is defined as ‘an intensive dog breeding facility that is operated under inadequate conditions that fail to meet the dogs behavioural, social, and/ or physiological needs’ (Rspca.org.au, 2018). During lockdown, puppy farms greatly increased due to the higher demand and price for puppies. (Dunne, 2020).
In April 2020, Lucy’s Law was initiated to crack down on the low-welfare, high volume supply of puppies and kittens, it includes banning all third-party sales in England which puppy farm owners rely on. This means that potential buyers will have to purchase directly from the breeder or adopt from a rescue centre (Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs, 2020).
Dog breeders need to follow certain rules –
- They have to have a licence if they have 3 or more litters of puppies in a 12-month period
- There’s a limit on the number of litters that dog breeders can have unless they can prove they will not sell them (GOV.UK 2022)
- Puppies have to be at least 8 weeks old before they can leave their mum or be sold
- Puppies have to be sold where they were bred and they must be seen with their biological mother (puppycontract.org.uk, n.d.)
What are the welfare implications?
These puppies are more likely to have long term health conditions such as genetic disorders and have a high-risk of developing diseases such as parvovirus. They have also never been socialised so could have behavioural problems such as aggression in the future. If the puppies are taken from their mothers too early, this causes stress to both the mother and puppies which could also lead to long term behavioural problems such as anxiety. Most of the puppies will have had no vaccinations or vet health checks so as soon as you bring the puppy home, you will need to take it to the vets. The majority of these puppies have a shorter life span due to developing health problems in their later life (Muldoon, Williams, and Spca, 2017).
What can be done?
The RSPCA do not have the authority to enter private properties therefore have to get court issued warrants and the police have to work with them which is time consuming and costly. However, the RSPCA can make visits to properties if there are reports of suspicious activity, but the owner is allowed to deny access (Withnall, n.d.).
Educating the public about what research to do before purchasing a puppy and what to look out for in a puppy farm is crucial for a change. For example, make sure you see the mother of the puppies and have the relevant paperwork and vet checks completed (Rspca.org.au, 2018).
As with any dog, you need to ensure you provide good socialisation and training but especially with puppies or dogs from puppy farms as they will be deprived of this from a young age therefore will be more likely to develop behavioural problems in the future (Muldoon, Williams, and Spca, 2017).
Reference List:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (2020). Lucy’s Law spells the beginning of the end for puppy farming. [online] GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/lucys-law-spells-the-beginning-of-the-end-for-puppy- farming.
Dunne, J. (2020). The Price of Friendship – The Growth of Puppy Farming During Lockdown. [online] Vet Help Direct. Available at: https://vethelpdirect.com/vetblog/2020/08/20/the-price-of-friendship-the-growth-of-puppy- farming-during-lockdown/ [Accessed 8 Nov. 2022].
GOV.UK. (2022). Dog breeding licensing: statutory guidance for local authorities. [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/animal-activities-licensing- guidance-for-local-authorities/dog-breeding-licensing-statutory-guidance-for-local- authorities.
Muldoon, J., Williams, J. and Spca, S. (2017). THE IMPACT OF THE DOG TRADE ON CANINE WELFARE #SayNoToPuppyDealers THE CURRENT SITUATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICY AND PRACTICE. [online] Available at: https://www.ed.ac.uk/sites/default/files/atoms/files/illegal_dog_trade_briefing_paper.pdf [Accessed 8 Nov. 2022].
puppycontract.org.uk. (n.d.). Puppy breeding laws – The Puppy Contract. [online] Available at: http://puppycontract.org.uk/puppy-buyer/puppy-breeding-laws [Accessed 10 Nov. 2022].
Rspca.org.au. (2018). What is a puppy farm? – RSPCA Knowledgebase. [online] Available at: https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/what-is-a-puppy-farm/.
(RSPCA, 2023)
Withnall, K. (n.d.). Investigating Puppy Farms | RSPCA. [online] www.rspca.org.uk. Available at: https://www.rspca.org.uk/whatwedo/endcruelty/investigatingcruelty/organised/puppyfarming.