Information, Education & Advice - helping dogs in need
Information, Education & Advice - helping dogs in need
Commercial Dog Dealing:
What is a Puppy Farm I Where Is Puppy From? I
Puppy Farms in the News I Speaking Out I
How To Help I Petitions I Early Day Motion I Further Info I
You may have already heard of the phrase ‘Puppy Farming’ but are probably unaware of just how big an issue this is in the UK.
Puppy Farms exists all over the UK (and in Eire) with higher concentrations in specific areas such as Wales and Northern Ireland.
A 'puppy farm' can involve a small to a large number of dogs breeding and producing puppies; the reason for existence being that of financial gain which takes priority over welfare.
Pictured to the right is 'Blondie' who was sold 
from a Pet Shop as a puppy just in time for Christmas. Originally bred on a licensed breeding premises in Wales, Blondie was sold and later returned as he was sick and seemed to have deformed legs. Blondie then waited in the pet shop for another buyer, offered at a 'reduced price' as he was thin, described as the 'runt' & had been returned. He was sold on to someone who felt sorry for him and later ended up in rescue with EDDR arriving with behavioural problems all stemming from his puppy experiences as well as digestive issues.
Puppy Farms exist to make profit with little regard to welfare standards. Running/operating costs are reduced wherever possible, to maximize profits, what this can mean is that dogs and puppies are kept in appalling conditions with puppies produced dying before reaching the buyer or sold off with heredity diseases along with physical and psychological problems-resulting in further suffering, heartache and veterinary bills for their new owners.
Some breeding premises are unlicensed and other are licensed by the Local Authority, these breeding sites exist to supply puppies to the public, as demand is high in our throw away society and the trade is flourishing.
Puppies can have pedigrees, paperwork and be Kennel Club registered.
Dogs are kept in kennel premises for the sole purpose of the mass production of puppies, who are when a few weeks of age transported en masse across the country to be sold in pet shops and through dealers advertising in papers and on the internet.
Puppy farming is in our opinion a sickening trade which continues right under our noses, in our own country, a country which is known as a ‘nation of dog lovers’.But, it’s all about the money, the money made by the puppy farmers, the dealers, the pet shop outlets, it’s big business to churn out litter after litter after litter of pups and the dogs used for breeding are no more than a commodity, to be exposed of once finished with.
It is well known that many puppy farm dogs live miserable lives, crammed into dismal kennel pens in large numbers, desperate for human company and affection, living in filthy stinking conditions where the highlight of the day is some dried food thrown in and the remainder of the day is spent pacing round in circles as the boredom breaks their spirits and the injuries and illness breaks their bodies.
Once born, many puppy farm pups will lose their fight for life due to sub standard conditions before the surviving ones are packed into vehicles and transported out across the country all ready to look cute and cuddly for the public.
Sadly, it's the public who through their purchases of puppy farm dogs;
- keep commercial breeders who put money before welfare in business
- keep puppies mum and dad and thousands like them confined solely for their next breeding
- keep dealers and 3rd party traders in business
you may not have realised that your money is what fuels and maintains this practice.
Where could that puppy be from?
Puppies don't just appear in a pet shop, or with a dealer, they have been bred somewhere, they have a sire and a dam-their parents somewhere, litter brother and sisters somewhere, they have lived the past few weeks, those critical weeks for puppy development, somewhere before you met them.
Pictured here is a Shih-Tzu puppy brought from a Pet Shop; he originally came from a commercial breeding site in Wales.
Think about the adverts you read all over the internet, litters of puppies from multiple breeds of dogs, bred to demand, where and how do you really think they all have come about?
Council appointed kennels are full of unclaimed stray dogs and rescue dog shelters are bursting with unwanted dogs, yet the multi-breed dealers are full of puppies all "ready to go" once you've paid your money and taken your choice.
Puppy Farm Video – Behind closed doors at a breeding premises.
Many puppy farms are licensed premises, licensed by the Local Authority but despite this and the introduction of the Animal Welfare Act dogs continue to be kept in unsatisfactory conditions and the trade in puppies continues behind closed doors.
The Guardian - First came battery chickens. Now we have battery dogs. Rachel Dixon reports on a disturbing trade. February 2010.
The Guardian - Inquiry calls for dog breeding reforms at puppy farms. January 2010
Times Online - Pet shops in 'sick pup' sale claims. September 2009.
Sky News - An undercover investigation has revealed appalling conditions at puppy breeding farms that supply one of the UK's biggest pet shops.August 2009
Five News Investigation - special investigation shows the appalling conditions at three dog breeders which supply one of the UK's largest pet stores. August 2009
Pete the Vet - discusses the story about the puppy farm with a possible outbreak of canine brucellosis in Offaly. The farm is one of Europe's largest mass breeding establishments and has 700 breeding bitches and up to 300 puppies. May 2009
BBC One – Rogue Traders series 7, exposed puppy trafficking on 19th February 2009.
A Puppy Farm Documentary by Y Byd ar Bedwar screened on the 9th &16th December 2008 on HTV Wales, exposed the conditions inside licensed puppy farms in Carmarthenshire, Wales. Please visit Puppy Love and judge for yourself.
The Daily Mail published an article on ‘handbag’ dogs being bred in condition of horrific cruelty.
Council puts an end to dog sales in pet shop - Swindon Council takes the lead and puts an end to dogs being sold from pets shops in their area.
BBC News - Essex puppy trader still selling sick puppies.
BBC Inside Out – It’s A Dog’s Life, Inside Out East goes undercover to expose one Essex puppy trader.
BBC News – Bid to end puppy farm misery, campaigners calling for tighter legislation to end the misery and suffering of thousands of dogs.
BBC Inside Out Extra – Puppy farm exposed and council asked why they did not act sooner.
Please speak out for puppy farm dogs:
Please don’t turn away and leave it to someone else, everyone can do their bit to help puppy farms dogs, no matter how big or small your contribution is, every bit helps, you are their voice, please act and help.
Do you think it is acceptable for dogs to be:
Kept in the dark to save electricity
Left in faeces and urine soaked pens
Isolated from people and left in squalor
Wounded, lame, injured & not receive veterinary treatment
Desperate for a life, denied the right to express normal behaviour
Bred until their bodies collapse
Discarded when no longer of any use
Left in cold damp cages and pens
Thirsty, hungry, in despair, pacing in circles to try alleviate the boredom
Not ever experience a walk in the park, games in a garden, cuddles on a sofa
born and left dying on cold concrete floors
Bewildered, frightened, crammed and transported across the UK for sale
sold as puppies with heredity defects, mental & physical traumas
And all for what? To meet public demand.
Please don’t buy a puppy from a pet shop, a puppy farm, a dealer, puppy ‘superstores’ (multi- breeds all ready for sale). Be aware, do your research, find out the facts. Trading Standards receive many complaints from people who have brought puppies which have died or are ill.
Tell your family and friends, spread the word wherever you can. Write to your local news paper and highlight the issue.
Please support the C-fidos steering group which has been set up (Nov 2008) to address puppy farming and commercial dog sales. Visit: C-fidos
Contact your Member of Parliament (MP) at the House of Commons, London SW1A OAA. To find out who your is visit: http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/ Ask for an end to puppy farms, it is time for the Government to take action as this trade is flourishing and has been allowed to exist for years. Puppy Farms Must END.
Ask your MP to support the EDM- John McDonnell MP has submitted an Parliamentary Early Day Motion (EDM)*
EDM 1142 - 20 March 2009 reads:
"That this House notes the continuing reports of allegations of cruelty and animal suffering associated with puppy farms; and calls upon the Government to review the effectiveness of the current procedures and legislation relating to animal safety in puppy farms."
It currently has been signed by 59 Members of Parliament - has your MP signed up?
It not, please write to your own MP and ask them to support this EDM.
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=38257&SESSION=899
* EDM’s are motions put forward for debate in the House of Commons, most are never debated but are used to draw attention towards a campaign or opinion, they are a measure of parliamentary support- the more signatures, the greater the show of support.
Please support the Petition to Carmarthenshire County Council - to stop the illegal practices clearly prevalent in dog breeding establishments under their jurisdiction.
Please sign the Petition -Please say NO to the Welsh Assembly assisting Puppy Farms by giving grants to farmers for the purpose of breeding puppies.
Please sign the Petition to the Prime Minister - Asking him to do all in his power to end puppy farms. This petiton is now closed- to read the Government's response click here.
Please write and complain about the Carmarthenshire licensed breeding premises to:
For information on groups who specialise in campaigning against puppy farmers;
please visit our links page.
Puppy Farms Must End:
Will YOU speak out and hear their cries or look the other way?
Your help is needed if there is to be any hope of bringing it to an end.
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