I am putting a link to the DSPCA web site where they have highlighted today of a possible outbreak of canine brucellosis in the largest puppy farm in S Ireland and possibly Europe. They have over 700 dogs and 300 puppies on this puppy farm and this is likely to be an underestimation of the figures.

If the outbreak is confirmed positive by governement officials then all puppies from this puppy farm will need to be traced. The puppy farmer is known to export litters of puppies including to the UK, selling to dealers and pet shops. However tracing may prove very difficult as no regulations exist in S Ireland for dog breeding.

This could cause massive problems with the possibity of border closures and hopefully the restriction of puppies being allowed out from S Ireland into the UK. I suspect this may affect the movement of rescue and greyhounds too from S Ireland but this has not been confirmed as yet.

Animal Health in the UK have been notified as this is a notifiable disease and a zoonosis.

This puppy farmer is well known to puppy farming campaigners such as myself and have thought sooner or later an outbreak such as this was likely to occur in S Ireland where there are no regulations or in Wales where there is legislation but poorly enforced by some councils.

So it is advisable to be aware if you know of anyone recently purchased a puppy bred in S Ireland or are involved in rescue. This outbreak is considered to be very serious if confirmed positive. The owners have admitted to the disease being on the premises.  

I will post the link on the next message in case I lose what I have already written as some message boards do not allow to leave to copy and post without dissapearing in a flash.

As promised the link:

http://www.dspca.ie/news_item.php?number=1771&type=News&archive=No

Will this affect the European Dog Show in dublin next month?

This sounds very worrying - and I have to say that one of the worst bits of it is the fact that there are believed to be 700 breeding bitches on the farm (according to OD report). I had no idea that there were operations of this scale. :-(

M.

Does anyone know whats happening about the dublin show at the end of the month ?

Anyone know which breeds are churned out by this puppy farm? Have met 2 people in the last week who have aquired pups from Ireland via Ayr and Liverpool.

I wonder how many pups had already left the farm before this was discovered? I spoke to a woman in our local park the other day who told me she had justt got a Bichon from someone in Liverpool which had come over froom Ireland.....all sounded very dodgy....she didn't see the parents, know the history etc.

The Irish Farmer pumps out 15 different breeds atleast, all the good selling breeds, mostly smaller breeds.
My friend who is Irish, knows the local RSPCA Officer, and they ship them over here to sell by the van load.