I am gravely concerned that the Welsh Assembly has given Capital Grants to farmers for the purpose of rearing and selling puppies. Regardless of whether puppies will be humanely reared and proper care given to the temperament and soundness of the breeding stock it is certain that they will be sold to all comers with no regard to suitability and that this will place huge pressure on the rescue services all over the country. Puppies are not sold directly from distant farms but are shipped to pet shops and sold from the back of cars at service stations, no aftercare is given and no ongoing responsibility is taken.

>
>Farms are no place to rear pups who need early socialization in the formative weeks and exposure to normal household noises, visitors and children, before they are 9 weeks old in order to adjust properly to family life. Puppies, not correctly reared, are fearful given to defensive nipping and inevitably end up destroyed or in rescue kennels. Responsible breeders make exhaustive checks on the homes pups will go to and reject those who appear in anyway unsuitable. If no one is at home most of the day, puppies cannot be housetrained and will be rejected. If it is a big breed puppy in a tiny house or the new family have insufficient experience to cope with the demands of a boisterous breed or a toy puppy that requires special care again there is no future for that puppy.
>
>Good breeders also take care that puppies will be free from genetic or temperament defects which may well only appear as they reach adulthood, the misery of hip dysplaysia, or in my breed (Standard Poodles), skin or thyroid complaints cause great suffering to the dog and enormous expense to well meaning owners. Breed clubs therefore give helpful information as regards genetic testing and hold registers of affected dogs so that by careful examination of the pedigree, to at least 5 generations, genetic defects may be stamped out. Again a good breeder will only have an occasional litter in order to carry on their line, not as in the case of puppy farms at least one litter a year from a poor worn out bitch too tired to suckle or care for her young and give them that good start in life which they deserve. Even so it is often difficult to find excellent homes for the very best reared puppies that you cannot keep, so where are the good homes for puppies from farms? A standard poodle can have 8 to about a dozen puppies, multiply that by a maximum number of litters you can force out of a bitch before they simply cannot produce any more, possibly 8 litters and you will understand the disaster that is waiting for the hard pressed rescue services.
>
>So, please raise this matter with your MP, it is not just a Welsh problem, but will inevitably affect local families who with good intentions buy a puppy and local care services who will have to pick up the pieces of bitten children and rejected dogs.

You can reach your MP on this link
http://www.faxyourmp.com/onnet_index.php3

Most MPs, even the Welsh ones, sadly will say that it is a Welsh Assembly matter. Mine only pursued this further because I highlighted the fact that the only animal rescue in Cardiff had also recently closed down.

Its also worth writing to the media and going to the www.saynotopuppyfarms site where you'll find lots of other ideas.