Ending the " Pet " Dog Trade !

It seems that many councils are refusing a permit to allow home owners to legally breed puppies because of publicity given to what are termed " puppy farms " -  where unscrupulous people churn out endless numbers of litters from exhausted mothers, often in overcrowded and filthy conditions. These unvaccinated pups are then sold through pet shops.

Buying a pet dog from a recognised breeder with the authenticity guaranteed by the accompanying registration with the Kennel Control Council of Australia can cost you hundreds - and even thousands of dollars.  The KCC scrupulously monitors the number of litters permitted each breeding cycle.  Such breeders specialise in a particular species of canine and duly registered thoroughbreds compete in competitions for " best of breed " recognition, which impresses buyers.

There is a growing movement to stamp out these legitimate breeders and make the supply of pets through pet shops entirely reliant on dogs turned in at animal shelters.  These come in all shapes and sizes and within a wide age range.  Each has been checked out, wormed and vaccinated, but is rarely a true copy of the precise breed the buyer is seeking.  This movement is seeking to see Greyhounds that have been rejected for racing channelled through pet shops to provide them with a good home.

A pet dog was thought to be an attribute to most families.  Apart from the companionship, many people found that taking the dog for a walk was a way of gaining exercise and losing weight.  The family dog being taken for a walk was a familiar sight in most suburbs, but that practice is now dwindling.

Land scarcity has resulted in more apartment living and this has resulted in the smaller breeds becoming the most popular pets - and we are now seeing demand for a mix of breeds.  One of the most popular couplings is a mix of a Cavalier King Charles spaniel and a Poodle, resulting in what is called a " Cavoodle  ".  The end result is a small, curly haired dog with a very good temperament, tolerance for children and an affinity for apartment living.

This may soon become an officially registered breed recognised by the KCC, but the whole structure of pure bred dogs being legitimately bred by industry specialists is under threat from a hostile element which seems determined to make pets only available from the rejects that are processed through animal shelters.   Legitimate requests for dog breeding approvals are being rejected and any such proposal is being treated as a " puppy farm ".

It is a fact of life that where these puppy farms exist they are rarely registered with any council.  It is usually a criminal element operation being run under cover and the pups sold to pet shops are on a cash basis to avid taxation.  Discovery is usually through the complaints of neighbours, complaining about the smell or the constant barking of a mass of dogs kept in close confinement.

If legitimate breeders are forced out of business the only dogs available to the public will be by nature mixed breeds, and with that will go the temperaments that make us favour the type of dog we want for a pet in the first place.