PARLIMENTARY INQUIRY TELLS GOVERNMENT TO START AGAIN ON PROBLEM ‘PUPPY FARM’ BILL

DOGS Victoria today welcomed the report of the parliamentary inquiry into the Domestic Animals Amendment (Puppy Farm and Pet Shops) Bill 2016 that criticised the Government’s consultation with relevant stakeholders and the community as inadequate. It was  recommended that the Government withdraw the current Bill and immediately establish a consultative group of stakeholders, experts, local government and community representatives to advise on the drafting of a new Bill that was effectively targeted, enforceable and drew from evidence based animal welfare standards in achieving the aim of ending unregulated and cruel puppy farms.

DOGS Victoria, the representative organisation for registered pedigree dog owners and breeders in Victoria, was one of many witnesses critical of the Bill during the three-day hearing. The inquiry into the Bill also received hundreds of written submissions from concerned DOGS Victoria members who gave personal examples of how this Bill would negatively impact the welfare of their dogs and ability to continue as registered breeders.   

Wayne Fleming, DOGS Victoria Acting Chief Executive said, ‘We are pleased to see the Committee’s recommendation that small, registered hobby breeders should be exempt from having to comply with commercially based codes of practice, which treat dogs as commodities and not companions.’

Over two thirds of DOGS Victoria breeders have indicated that they are either unsure or unlikely to continue as small hobby breeders should the Bill’s new regulations be passed, which currently applies commercial standard codes of practice to breeders with more than one fertile female dog. A dramatic fall in registered DOGS Victoria breeders will result in it being harder for the public to find well raised, health tested pups in a breed of their choice from an ethical breeder.

‘The Bill will also threaten the availability of specialised dogs for farmers and in working, service and assistance dog industries, including search and rescue and detection dogs.’

The Bill has been heavily criticised by bodies such as the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) and the Municipal Associations of Victoria (MAV) who have argued that it will not achieve its intended aims of removing puppy farms and unregistered breeding, but will instead make local councils responsible for overly complex, burdensome and unenforceable regulation.

DOGS Victoria conservatively estimates that the Bill will cost councils and their rate payers over $28 million annually to administer.

The legislation currently in place (the Prevention of Cruelty Act 1986 and Domestic Animals Act 1994) has been acknowledged as setting the bar for best practice internationally. While improvements can be made, DOGS Victoria maintains that the issue is not whether there is insufficient regulation, but whether the enforcement of the regulations we have in place are being effectively undertaken.

Mr Fleming concluded ‘DOGS Victoria does not support industrial scale commercial breeding of puppies or kittens and we do want effective and enforceable regulations that ensure the best standards in animal welfare. However, we do not agree with the Government that this Bill will achieve that.’

‘DOGS Victoria is ready to work with the Government on realising the intent of this Bill in a way that will achieve its goals and not see the demise of ethical, registered breeders in Victoria.’