The puppy mill scandal
Poor dog-breeding practices an affront to man and beast alike

Calgary Herald

Friday, December 06, 2002

The plight of a truckload of 171 sick, filthy and neglected collies, discovered after they passed through Alberta en route to Arizona from Alaska, is a heartbreaking one. It should serve as an impetus for the province to legislate standards so that no dog in Alberta suffers the same fate.

But without dog-breeding regulations on the books, Alberta is a safe haven for puppy-mill operators who want to set up shop here.

Puppy mills are the scourge of the dog-breeding world. Such establishments generate profit for the owners without regard to the welfare of the animals they use; also, their bad breeding practices and poor care result in dogs with health and temperament problems. The puppies produced are born of unhealthy mothers who are kept in cages -- often with the waste from the cage above dripping down onto the occupants of the one below -- and bred continually until they wear out and are killed. The dogs are poorly fed and do not receive veterinary care because the mill owners fear their neglectful practices will be exposed.

The poorly socialized puppies are shipped at six weeks of age to pet stores; having missed the period in their short lives when human contact is crucial, they grow into adult dogs with behaviour problems and often end up dumped on the doorstep of the local humane society.

Ten years ago, Agriculture Canada passed more stringent inspection laws to ensure puppies imported from the U.S. meet certain standards. They must be microchipped, vaccinated and vet-checked. This cut down considerably on puppy-mill imports, but it also helped the homegrown industry flourish.

The provinces need to work with veterinarians, humane societies and other animal-care professionals to create legislation that will define standards and outlaw puppy mills. One model could be the private member's bill put forward by Ontario MPP Mike Colle, which calls for licensing of all pet breeders and kennels, full inspections of kennel operations by local humane societies, with five-figure fines for non-compliance, establishment of a provincial kennel and breeder registry and fines for pet-store operators who buy or sell puppy-mill dogs.

Currently, puppy-mill operators can be charged with abuse under the Criminal Code, but their operations have to be discovered first. And even if they've been convicted in one province, nothing prevents them from setting up shop in another.

Puppy mills are both an animal welfare and consumer protection issue. Legislation should be enacted that will protect both dogs and people.

© Copyright 2002 Calgary Herald