Puppy farming
Puppy farming is big business. It is when people set up intensive breeding establishments where the only purpose is to produce as many puppies as possible to sell to people for large sums of money.These dogs are often malnourished, receive little or no veterinary care and brood bitches have far too many litters. The screening of suitable stud dogs and bitches to breed from is non-existent and interbreeding is rife. When they are worn out and exhausted from constant breeding, they are discarded at which point their future is perilous.
The accommodation in which the dogs are housed is often cramped, dirty and infested with vermin and faeces. The dogs lay in their mess, delivering litter after litter of puppies for the pet industry.
The condition of the dogs themselves can only be described as neglected. Their coats are often matted in faeces, open, seeping wounds are common and weeping eyes and bald patches are commonplace. They are usually underweight and desperate for human contact and affection.
Pups bought from disreputable breeders often display behavioural problems connected to their appalling beginnings in such a place, such as neurotic tendencies and accelerated heart rates. Alongside these many buyers find pups are suffering from bacterial infections, worms, flea infestations and mange. They receive little or no socialisation during that all important first six weeks resulting in aggressive and nervous dogs in many cases.
Although these puppy farmers are obliged to be registered with local authorities and issued breeding licences, this legislation fails to maintain a reasonable standard of welfare for the dogs.
A scheme launched in 2001 by the Welsh Assembly, further encouraged welsh farmers to apply for grants to diversify into breeding dogs and horses. Many grants were issued which means that Wales has a particular problem with puppy farms, although puppy farms are evident throughout the UK. This has exacerbated an already dire situation for thousands of animals. Directly and indirectly, this has led to the slaughter of thousands of dogs every year.
What you can do to help
Never buy a puppy from a suspected puppy farm, pet shop, a newspaper advertisement, someone offering to bring the pup to your home, or at the roadside.
Where possible, approach a rescue to find a suitable addition to your family, they will almost always have puppies, as well as dogs of all ages desperately needing a good home.