I am president of the B.C. Dog Breeders Association, formed Jan/04 as a non-profit B.C. registered society.

We have been trying to communicate with the BC SPCA board of Directors, the CEO Craig Daniell, the Dept of Agriculture, and the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies, suggesting we all meet and sit down at a round table to discuss the issues facing all dog breeders, in respect to a true "animal welfare act" and not just a PCA Act.

We have asked time and time again for a meeting and received little to no response from these organizations. To us this shows an unwillingness on the part of the legislators, the SPCA, the CFHS, that they are not interested in a true animal welfare standards act and want to keep control on the current status quo.

Therefore our association has developed our own animal welfare standards act, that has taken into account some of the current standards from Canada, and some from the USDA in the USA. We have put in place standards that will encompass all aspects of breeding, housing, treatment, and care for both adult and puppies. We have put into place inspection standards, and penalties for violations of these standards. Our inspectors will all be trained and certified by the UBC Animal Welfare Program course taken at the University of the Cariboo in Kamloops.

As responsible dog breeders we do not want to be tagged as puppymill breeders, and have set our standards to the highest level that even the SPCA would have difficulty in reaching. And we challenge any other association to meet our standards.

Wayne Barron
President