I've just read the thread 'Does Anybody Here Know Of This' and I felt I had to start a new thread on this matter. It's time us decent dog owners and breeders brought pressure on the Kennel Club to try and stamp out these dreadful practices. Really the only way I can see this happening is by educating the public to stop them buying from these places. It's time the KC spent some of our money on full-page ads in the national newspapers pointing out the pitfalls of buying un-registered puppies of dubious origin. We do read small articles occasionally in the dog press advocating buying your puppy from an accredited breeder, seeing the dam, only buying from health-checked parents etc, but quite frankly, publishing these articles in the dog press is preaching to the converted. What's needed is a campaign that reaches the man in the street. The only way to stop these people is to cut off their customer base. If people don't buy from them then they'll stop selling in this way.

I don't think this would stop or even reduce it in any way.

People don't care, they decide to get a puppy then 1 hour later look in the paper and buy the first one they see, they don't care about health checks or anything else.

The only way puppy farming and these practices will ever stop, is if the government creates laws to stop them.

This may work but would it really be worth the money.  I'm sure the KC have thought about this, they arn't stupid mindless people!  They do do campaigning BUT it's not as easy as just taking out an advert really is it, you might convert afew. 

also I don't know how it leagally stands that, by adverts like this you would ruin someone's, unfortantly legal, business and therefore livelyhood.

You don't see adverts that say "mcdonalds is unhealthy don't eat mcdonalds or other fast foods" 

And what influence will advise bring.  Some papers have in them on the pages with animals for sale already give advise on what to look out for and that doesn't work too much :(

The KC is campaigning to the govenment and this I think is the best thing, get laws changed and government backing. :)

That's because Mc Donalds is a brand name, puppies are not.

You could take out as many adverts as you liked naming unhealthy foods such as burgers, chips etc, just not mcdonalds by name.

Ok maybe not quite a great example :)

I certainly think pet shop and internet sales should be banned, but how you go about that is another matter. "Puppy farms" shouldn't be allowed to operate. How a Council can license them I just don't know - all different breeds, ages, conditions.

I agree with you, that the public needs educating. But as the other poster says, we live in a "want it now, will have it now" society. Most of the general public are under the misconception that breeding is nothing more than a money making exercise and know little about how it should be done properly. Most aren't aware of health issues. We on here, I hope, know differently. Even amongst my own friends, although they know of health tests, they don't carry them out, yet still have occasional litters and have no trouble selling the resulting pups, usually to people locally. I do think the KC could do more by placing bigger ads aimed at Joe Public, but does JP trust the KC following "that" programme?

Saxon, I could not agree more but there are few key players, when changes are needed and organisations that are listened to on dog matters such as this. One as you so rightly say is the KC, the others are in my opinion the RSPCA and Dogs Trust, these three are the ones in the main that Defra listen to and take advise from. All other organisations groups are just the foot soldiers feeding info, gathering info but unless it suits and fits the pattern of the three key players nothing changes.

In respect of puppy farming, dealers, pet shops including 'on line selling', those individuals that have a pet shop licence in addition to either a dog breeders or boarding licence, those that have a pet shop licence and refer to themselves when advertising as 'licensed kennels' and have no kennels as such but sell puppies from a private house from sheds or outbuilding in the garden. Then there are the 'dealers' (who also acquire a pet shop licence from their local council) who act as the middle man between picking up and buying litters of puppies from puppy farms/commercial breeders and then sell onto other licensed pet shops.

These in the above paragraph together are the big problem and until third part selling of puppies by any of the above ceases by banning third party selling this sordid trade will continue. The problem is new operations are starting up, like the ones online and the ones selling from home because they can undercut the prices, through low overheads. Disregarding the quality of the puppies they trade in the uninformed continue to buy and keep them in business as they can always be assured of a ready supply of puppies from puppy farmers.  

The KC does not take enough active part in discouraging third party selling I agree. The RSPCA do not agree with with puppies being sold from pet shops but in the main only actively refer to puppies comming from puppy farms in Ireland when it is spoken of disregarding the licensed commercial breeders/puppy farmers in Wales. The Dogs Trust when refering to puppy farming like the Welsh Assembly refer to unlicensed breeders as the ones that are the problem when of course it is in the main licensed commercial breeders from Wales and because there is no licensing for dog breeders in S Ireland, puppy farmers to that supply third party sellers.

If all three of the big players joined forces and lobbyed the Government to bann the selling of puppies from third parties we may see a result. But then arguement will be by The Office of Fair Trade that we cannot stop free trade - puppies are classed as a commodity, so perhaps they should be declassified as sentient beings perhaps this would prevent them being exploited in this way.

Defra in reply to my concrn on this matter said if I could prove that it detrimental to the welfare of puppies to be sold from third parties they would look into the matter. This could surely be proven by all concerned.

I would certainly join any others that  wish to place pressure on the Government and Welsh Assembly.   

 



 

                 

> We do read small articles occasionally in the dog press advocating buying your puppy from an accredited breeder

I only found out recently that to be an 'accredited' breeder you just need to fill in a form. Im sure not all accredited breeders are unscrupulous puppy farmers, far from it, but if its as simple as that to become accredited then IME it's not worth the paper its written on.

Agree that it is preaching to the converted somewhat

I only found out recently that to be an 'accredited' breeder you just need to fill in a form.

The good news is the KC is improving here. They have already removed 250 breeders from the  scheme after complaints about them, and they are currently looking to recruit advisers that will go and do home visits to accredited breeders. I think it's definitely a step in the right direction and proves they do try to improve.
http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/2460/23/5/3

That sounds great!! Think people need to be thoroughly vetted and checked BEFORE they are even allowed to become accredited, should be regularly checked to maintain standards of all accredited breeders and to be struck from the scheme if standards slip.

Looks like the KC is getting there with the AB scheme but like all things it improves over time :)

Also re the AB's Scheme it is the Club's that have to stipulate what breeders should be doing and if the Club's don't advise the KC there's nothing that the KC can do. 

The AB scheme is a great idea.

At least it gives the breeders someone to anwser to and something they can be kicked out of/removed.

The KC are currently looking for people to be "Breed Advisors" for the ABS. These advisors will be visiting the premises of accredited breeders among other things. So maybe the KC will be able to more effectively 'police' the scheme.

There is always going to be that element who want a dog and pop out and get one like you would a new pair of shoes.  I know people who do it, even when I've said it's a bad idea.

But, I expect if a persons lifestyle is the sort where a caring breeder would refuse, then the prospective dog owner just moves on to a multi-breed outlet where they happily take the cash in exchange for a puppy. Lots of other dogs are being breed that fall outside the Kennel Club's remit too.

I'm not sure what the answer is, but I do wish people would think very hard before getting a dog and also consider very carefully where they go to get their puppy. 

Having seen the tv shows that have highlighted Puppy Farms I can't imagine why.  Maybe a major tv ad campaign in association with the rescue agencies would do it?

As I mentioned on the other thread, I have written to our local council asking them to consider banning the sale of puppies in pet shops in the Borough, since Swindon council have just done it.

Well, I have a message on my ansafone tonight from the council asking me to ring them about my letter. So I didn't get a complete brush off with a standard letter reply.

Perhaps everybody could write to their council and ask them to do the same. If we could just stop pet shops selling puppies it would go a long long way to reduce the puppy farm trade.

K