How much is that Doggy in the window? Too much if you think about the amount of innocent little lives lost to produce that one bundle of fluff. Our Ambassador for Domestic Animals Jordy reports.

It wasn't until the RSPCA was given the power to go through properties they believed to be supporting puppy factories did the people of Australia learn about the horrific puppy farming industry.

This amazing advancement hit the news in late June, and until this point the issue of puppy factories was only a hot topic in animal lover circles, but had not been brought into the public eye.

This multi-million dollar business is often overlooked when you look into the pet shop window and see a bouncing little bundle of joy ready to be loved and love you back.

However the process of getting puppies to the pet shop window is inherently cruel.

Coming from horrific, unhygienic situations, with multiple inbred diseases, these puppies often harvest a range of diseases that can cost you thousands in veterinary bills.

These ‘breeders' are often a popular source for pet shops as they are often selling the offspring very cheap and it is too easy to buy the pets in bulk from these suppliers.

Many of these breeders specialise in one particular pedigree breed, but these are often contaminated through the dogs they have purchased from other breeders claiming to be pedigree, but due to a lack of papers itis very hard to confirm this.

So what is a puppy farm?

This is a hellish facility of intensive dog breeding, under inadequate conditions, that fail to meet the dog's health, physical and emotional needs.

These dogs are considered breeding machines and are never allowed outside to experience the sun and wind or grass at their paws or experience love and affection. 

These large-scale facilities can hold any number of animals at a single time, in a space far too small for a living being.

Many of these farms are held in farming communities and on a large properties with theability to house and hide larger numbers of dogs.

They are also commonin residential areas, however this smaller, but just as horrific form of abuse is commonly referred to as ‘backyard breeding'.

The health issues of these farms are endless.

Some common issues are:

- the over breeding of particular female/s, tothe point where the dogs uterus leaves the body. At this time, many females are deemed useless, and inhumanely killed. 

- inbreeding, this involves the breeding of close relatives together, often ending in birth defects and stillbirths.

- Inadequate housing for both pups and parents. This can result in death for pups that are not kept warm or dry.

- poor Hygiene. Often in these situations, pups and mother are kept in inadequate pens that are contaminated with their own and other dogs faeces and urine.

- minimal/no veterinary care.

Many dogs bred from these conditions hold a lifetime of disease and problems that the new owner is never aware of until the disease causes problems to the dogs health.

There are many ways to spot puppy farms.

·     An Internet or newspaper advertisement, advertising pedigree pups with multiple more litters on the way. This indicates the breeder has many pregnant females and should immediately raise questions about the background of these pups.

·     Selling multiple pups of multiple ages. This is another indication that the pups have come from multiple mothers; also, if the pups are too young to be away from the mother this can also indicate breeding for profit.

·     Selling young pups out the back of cars, often this means that the place where the pups were raised is not suitable for public view; also if the breeder is selling from home, and refuses to let you see the conditions of the pup, or meet the mother, this often indicates that the conditions are not adequate and should be put into question.

Puppy farms are no place for dogs, big or small, young or old. These places should be shut down as soon as they are discovered.

Puppy farms are successful due to the ‘pedigree' breeding, however is it worth only wanting a pedigree pup when 200,000 healthy, loving dogs die are euthanised in Australia each year because there are not enough homes?

If you are looking for a new canine companion, please adopt from a shelter, and give a dog literally a chance at life. 

What you can do to help

 - NEVER buy from a pet shop! (did you know live animals are not allowed to be sold in pet shops in the UK for all of the above reasons?)

- Check out the Oscar's Law movement, which started when tireless anti puppy farming advocate Deb Tranter rescued a dog in absolutely terrible condition. She took him to the vet and was nursing him to health when the police raided her home, took Oscar and put him BACK into his cage. He remained there for the next 18 months until Deb rescued him again in September!

Oscar before - 

Oscar with Deb after -  

- Attend the Oscar's Law rallies in Melbourne, Sydney & Adelaide - make your voice heard!  

- Encourage your friends to always adopt

Together - we CAN bring this TERRIBLE trade down!