If you are in the south, Inside Out on BBC1 at 7.30 has a report on a puppy farm.
Sally

Hubby rang me today about it, hopefully he will tape it for me as i'm at work until 9 tonight.
Must say i'm not looking forward to watching it, if his report of the clip he saw is anything to go by!!
Karen.

It wasn't pretty but I'll let you watch it first.
Sally

Don't know if i can face it this evening, after the day i've had.
May have to wait until tomorrow.
Karen.

Hi everyone

I watched the program with interest as I have to admit this is where we got Ossie from.  Believe me I feel suitably hoodwinked and embrassed that we could have fallen for such an obvious charleton but I can honestly say that the place has really gone down hill recently.

When we got Ossie things weren't perfect but they were better than what you saw last night (this was two years ago) and he wasn't breeding so many different types of dogs.  I was horrified to see the program and found it quite upsetting and have vowed to contact the local RSPCA and offer any information that I can.  We did contact the local council at the time and made an offical complaint but nothing came of it.  I plan to chase them too now.

This whole thing has taught me a lot about dogs and breeders and I am a lot more cautious and open eyed about things.  I am totally ashamed that I was so naive when we got Os but at least I know that we have given him a good home which some of those other dogs might not get.

Anyway just wanted to get that off my chest!

Hi Jayne, I am glad you intend to chase the Council but it must be quick and in writing as the licence for this place is due to come before the licensing commitee the beginning of next week - for renewal. Write to Mr John Savage, The Chairman of the Licensing Commitee, Waverley Borough Council, The Burys, Goldaming, Surrey GU7 1HR  with your objections but they must be based upon facts though.
Information should also be given to Mr Richard Nowacki Trading Standards Officer Surrey County Council 1 Baytree Avenue Leatherhead Surrey KT2 7SY. Under the powers that T/S have, by using the Stop Now Order Regulations under the Enterprise Act which is called an Enforcement Order the breeder (some months ago) took an Informal Undertaking to agree to stop selling puppies that were in breach of the Sale of Goods Act (not of Satisfactory quality). Now, it is expected that T/S will ask the breeder in view of the programe to sign a Formal Undertaking to not sell sick puppies, then if complaints are still received T/S can seek an Order against the breeder in the County Court, should the breeder after agreeing to the Court to not sell puppies that are not of satisfactory quality still continues to do so they would be in contempt of Court and be returned to Court where a custodial sentence can be inposed upon them. (This applies to breeders/ traders that sell puppies as a business)
This is why I ask people to contact both the Council and Trading Standards in writing if they have purchased a puppy that is sick/died or has incorrect paperwork - misrepresentation. These rogue breeders and traders have to lose their businesses. For the sake of the breeding bitches and poor puppies they must not be allowed to continue month after month churning out sickly dying puppies and allowing breeding bitches to live deprived lives. 
Please if you saw the programe or know of anyone that purchased a puppy from this outlet or any other than please contact the Council and trading standards they cannot take action without the evidence. Enough evidence does eventually - however slowly it may seem, act, without the evidence they will do nothing.  Breeders/traders and there are plenty of them  will continue to exploit the dogs puppies and purchasers. If you love dogs then please do not let them get away with it.     

additional information

Exchange and Mart are putting a stop on this breeders ads. I know it will not stop him from advertising but at least it has closed one door.

Pat thank goodness for that i was so fed up with him selling cane corsos from this mag and the phone calls a few weeks later asking me to help as there corso had bitten them or there child would i take it and rehome it? or would i train it people just will not listen. why cant they see the filth the bad temperaments of the adults as well as the pups, i am so fed up with saying it  KEEP AWAY FROM DEALERS /PET SHOPS/SUPERSTORES/BACKYARD BREEDERS.

Hi Cane Corso girl, can you please ask all the people who contact you with their problems to put it in writing to the Council and Trading Standards. Desperately need people to complain if these places are going to ever be closed down.

Pat

I have just written to both (sending letters by both e-mail and paper) so that they can't claim that they didn't get anything!!

Do you think that it would be worth reporting him to the RSPCA as well!!

I feel very strongly about this (you may have guessed).

Hello all, both my husband and i watched the programme last night to and were also horrified as most people would be. The thing that really gets me is despite how many people care or complain nothing is being done to stop these people.I am speaking from personal experince who has dog suffering because of people shown last night although mine were better in the sense they hid there kennels well buy having more than one location. The one where they turn out to be bred from is not the one they sell from and i am sure i do not have to tell you which is the best.:( I have tried the kennel club as i know that these people are breeding more breeds of dogs than i can name, but there is no law against that and there is nothing i can do stop them breeding from bitches with heredity problems. I am beginning to relise that this is a huge problem for britain and all breeds but i feel very let down by the system as i always felt that we were a nation of dog lovers but it just goes to show some people really do only see £ signs in everything. I only hope that someday people like this will get stopped and get there just desserts, so to speak.

I was just amazed that the vet didn't realise that puppy farms are still in existence. I suppose because they are not called puppy farms but breeding establishments he was unaware. Makes the mind boggle.

What I found astonishing is that the vet who went undercover to buy the pup said that he didn't realise these sort of places still existed.  I wonder which planet he has been living on.  The hellhole where my boy used to live as a stud dog has finally been closed down but it took years and years to achieve this.  The R.S.P.C.A. seized a lot of her dogs but because of a 'loophole' she avoided being prosecuted and in the end they had to pay her compensation.  I saw dogs there that literally screamed with fear when you approached their cage.  There was a young lab with a litter and she was frightened of her puppies.  On one visit there was a young St Bernard bitch freindly, confident, obviously only just arrived.   A couple of months later she was a complete wreck.  One of the dogs that was seized was traced back to her original breeder who was horrified to learn of her fate.  She thought that this bitch had gone to a dear old lady who had recently lost her much beloved pet and wanted her for a companion.  Yes, you've guessed it - dear old lady = evil puppy farming witch.  That's how she got most of her breeding stock -  Free to good home ads.  The dog that I took in was very mentally disturbed and always will be. When I started to clean him up I was horrified to discover that he was monorchid and he must have sired hundreds of puppies.  Another place in the South only delivers puppies.  Someone managed to get onto the premises and discovered litters of puppies in dustbins but this bloke is still trading.  The authorities that issue the licenses must be aware of the conditions at all of these places they just don't see anything wrong with them and the R.S.P.C.A. can only act within the law.  No one has ever been prosecuted for causing mental cruelty to a dog.  Sally

MISTBOYS

Just so you know, i spoke to Janine (the vet who took the pup in to assess his/her - can't remember -  temperament) tonight at agility, pup's fine heath wise but has a lot of behavioural issues, unsurprisingly!

Hope the kennel club will take some action too against this affix user.

We won't hold our breath though eh?

Pat - he advertised KC registered dogs but in fact doesn't register them so I doubt that the KC could do anything.

The last argument I had with him (a couple of months ago) was to be able to get Os registered to be able to compete in agility.  He gave me some c**k and bull story about not having to register a male if he has been castrated and after being insulted and shouted at I gave up!

Lucyandmeg - we have gone through hell and high water with our pup in terms of behavioural issues and I have learnt so much because of it!  Please keep me posted how the little one is doing as I can defintely empathise.

Hi Jayne, no but the KC should be made aware, although I understand they are very aware of his bad breeding practices. However, if you still have the original ad when he advertised your puppy as being KC reg and in fact was not at the time of  advertising (if he intended to register pup with the KC he should have written in the ad KC reg applied for) then I advise you to contact Trading Standards (details on another message)  because that is misrepresentation and TS can take action against him for this. Another nail in his coffin so to speak.
Having now seen the TV programe, I doubt if he knows which puppy is a result of a mating from which bitch and stud dog. The puppies are all in runs together, the litters are mixed up so therefore not keeping accurate records which is requirement of a breeders licence.
I am disgusted that the Council has been aware of the situation for so long and have been monitoring the situation. The premises do not meet the criteria of conditions as set out in the Breeding and Sale of Dogs (welfare) Act 1999, so why have the Council repeatedly relicensed him every year when they should have closed him down.   

I do not believe the Vet was being serious when he made that comment, I think it was said more in keeping for the situation for TV. I am sure he knows that awful places do still exist.
I would be interested in 'the bloke who is still trading' if you would like to please email me off line.
I agree with you mental cruelty is not taken into account and it really should be because the the trauma suffered by breeding bitches devoid of human contact and shut up for 24 hours a day must be unbearable.
This awful man chains his dogs up and admitted to using a whip to quiten them. Even the GSDs puppies barked at him when he entered their pen and backed away from him. This is not normal behaviour of a litter of puppies when the owner approaches, it should have been friendly tail wagging and aproaching him in a friendly manner not fearful nervous barking.  

Hi Miss Naughty, can you please email me off line re- your message. I am aware that another location was advertising their puppies, I have a telephone number I am interested in the location if you can oblige please, thank you  

I bought my first cocker from a puppy farm,
unfortunalty we thought she was a nice old lady. it just so happens that many puppy farmers get old ladies to sell pups i supose it dosent seem obviouse that its a puppy farm that way.
she bred pugs or so she said she did . had thousands of pups she just said she bred for shows. when i got in contact with the rageorg with the info of where i got my cocker they told me they heard it many times before and it was just a puppy farm ,
Puppy farmers are crooks . we ended up paying so much for my cocker with vets fee's , still im glad i got her she was a little angel

Did your cocker spaniel suffer from rage syndrome?

The one i got from the puppy farm did  we are talking about 13/14 yrs ago now thou, but it went when she had 18fits in a day with her epilepsy,

I am sorry to hear that and it is strange to hear that rage syndrome went as some studies on the subject believe it to be connected/or some for of epilepsy.  Have you looked on the web for a site on rage syndrome?

The breeder that was exposed on the TV programe Inside Out, has not had his dog breeding licence renewed when it runs out at the end of March.

However, that does not mean that he is not allowed to breed it just means that from March he can only produce 4 litters of puppies in a 12 month period. He can of course appeal against this decision and go to Court before a Magistrate who will have the final word - to agree with the Council and not renew the Licence or the breeder who will be asking for it to be renewed.

If after March he exceeds that number (4 litters in a 12 month period) he will be classed as breeding unlicensed and  therefore can be subjected to a possible prosecution by the Council for unlicensed breeding.

In the meantime if he chooses he can keep all the dogs he owns at present.

This is a afterthought and a continuation to my last reply:

Having seen the programe with the kennel arrangements for the puppies, have to wonder what were the living conditions like for the breeding bitches?

As the Council is responsible for the Licensing of all premises under The Sale of Dogs (welfare) Act 1999, it is clear that they allowed these premises to operate year after year without meeting the criteria as set out in this Act.

This is not an issolated incident, many breeding establishments have been granted a dog breeders licence from their local Council when in fact their premises are not of the required standard as set out in the Act and the Licensing conditions.  This coupled with the Council ignoring the extra number of breeding bitches exceeding the number given, does not make for better welfare conditions for the dogs.  All it does allow is for the breeder to cut corners by having too many breeding bitches than they can manage comfortably, which may in the short term due depending upon breed bring in a higher revenue but it is often detrimental to the welfare of both puppies and breeding bitches.

I am sure that some of you on this board are Licensed by your local authority.  Do you find they are quite lax and accomodating or strict in their interpretation of the Licensing conditions?

I would be interested to know as I believe very much depends upon the Council and various regions throughout the UK as to whether or not those in power are doing their job properly.    

Pat,  I have a boarding cattery and have just been inspected for the licence.  This year was the first time that they have ever turned up without an appointment, which I don't have a problem with.  Hopefully they will also have done this to 'breeding establishments'.  Also last August we had a spot check, again unnanounced, and the first time they have ever done this.  It was to make sure that we were not overbooked, a very common practice in some boarding establishments.  So I would say that my local authority is taking the job of licencing premises very seriously.  I took the opportunity to talk to the official about the licencing of puppy farms as there is a new one just being granted a licence in my area.  She could only say that they have to work within the legislation and that some authorities will interpret it differently to another.  When I tried to talk to a neighbouring local authority last year that was licencing a seriously inadequate establishment they were as useless as an ashtray on a motorbike and told me to mind my own business.
Sally

Hi Everyone

I didn't see the program, but my local newspaper reported on it as we only live about seven miles away.  The scary thing is, I actually rang him about a year ago when we first decided to get a dog.  I was (and still am) a complete novice having never owned my own before.  But even I realised that he was up to no good.  There was no questions, was just told that i could take one that day if I wanted.  Anyway I didn't and we got Molly from a lovely lady in Guildford.

Anyway, this week the newspaper has reported on the beagle which was bought from him and then taken straight to the vet. Did anyone else see it?  I don't know if it was in the Daily papers, but I did hear it on the radio but didn't think the two were related incidents.  She (Nellie) is 3 stone in weght.  We used to have beagles when I was younger, but looking at the sad picture on the front page I couldn't even tell.  As it was golden it looked more like a lab - my Mum didn't even realise - it was only the ears that gave it away.  The owner however, says she is perfectly healthy and that being overweight is not a crime!  Of course it's not when it's your own decision not to be healthy, but that poor dog didn't ask to be obese!  Thank God they've taken his license away!

One down - Many, many more to go!