Proof that pet shops sell puppy mill animals

The CEO of the Pet Shop Industry Association of Australia, Joanne Sillince, constantly claims that “pet shops never sell puppy mill animals”.

We have proof that this is mis-information (ie lie).

We were recently sent these documents that show categorically that pet shops like: Toucan Pets in Adelaide, Pet City in Perth, Pets World in Sydney, Pet Land in Canberra and many others are buying their puppies from ACA Breeders (Now Banksia Puppies) in Victoria, one of the largest puppy mill sproducing over 2,500 puppies a year into the market. Download these 3 documents here: Doc1 ;    doc2;      Doc3

DRP Comment: it suits the Pet Shop Industry Association to have the public believe that pet shop puppies and kittens come from ‘responsible sources’. The truth is far different. They buy from mass producers (ie puppy and kitten mills) and from backyard breeders. We overheard a conversation in  a pet shop in Townsville recently . The store manager said to the backyard breeder “As this pup has a hernia, I’ll have to sell it as a sale item”.

Actions you can take

Contact the pet shops concerned and register your objections to their selling animal obtained from a large puppy mill. Their phone numbers are on the documents that you can download above.

If you have any information about the source of animals for pet shops, please let us know!

Pet industry association (PIAA) tactics to ‘gain respectability’…

We know that the Pet Industry Association is desperate to increase their membership dollars from pet shops (note: only a relatively small proportion of pet shops across the country are members, and yet the government of NSW still takes “advice” from PIAA).

 We know that they have engaged the services of one of Australia’s top PR agencies to advance their cause and ‘fight” the publicity gained by Clover Moore’s proposed Animal regulation of Sale Bill.

 We know that PIAA have joined in a collaborative program with the well known magazine “Dogs Life” (does anyone know of a similar initiative with cats?).

 Dogs Life Magazine and PIAA have embarked upon an annual publicity competition to recognise and reward winners in a number of categories. There are a number of pet shop specific categories, but it also includes:

 “The Dogs Life Pet People’s Award for Best Local Pet Rescue Service/Animal Shelter” 

 We were staggered to see “animal rescue” as one of the categories of this competition!!! PIAA (who stimulate and support the marketing and push of huge numbers of puppies and kittens into the market via pet shops) recognising animal rescue groups (who have to sweat 24/7 to rescue from deathrows across the country).

 Is this for real?

 Sadly it is. And sadly, many uninformed readers of Dogs Life Magazine will unwittingly associate PIAA with animal rescue efforts.

We expect that all animal rescue groups would  be disgusted.

One well known Victorian Rescue group who were asked if they could be nominated replied publically:

“Rescued With Love nominated for award but says “no thanks”

Rescued With Love has been nominated for an award which is always an honor.  This time it is for The Dogs Life Pet People’s Award for Best Local Pet Rescue Service/Animal Shelter. 

While Rescued With Love is happy with the recognition we are receiving, the Award is with Dogs Life Magazine in conjunction with the Pet Industry Association of Australia (PIAA). 

The PIAA represents Petshops throughout Australia and  they have been extremely vocal in their stance of protecting  the practice of selling puppies in petshops (they were the main opposition to Clover Moore’s Bill to cease the sale of animals in Petshops last year). 

These puppies are of course provided by puppy millers who keeps scores of dogs in cages to breed for their babies.  Rescued With Love is against all forms of puppy milling, backyard or indiscriminate breeding while hundreds of thousands of dogs die every year in our pounds and shelters. 

It would be hypocritical to accept this nomination on ethical grounds from the PIAA, and so we will not be taking up the offer. 

While we are not the biggest nor the most financial animal welfare group we certainly will stand up for what we believe Rescue should be about and that is the plight of companion animals at every level in society.” 

DRP Comment:

 We will take a guess at which Rescue organisation will win this year’s prize – we anticipate the same as last year, (….. the only Rescue group that is actively a PIAA member…….)

Actions you can take:

 Write to the Publishers of Dogs Life Magazine, expressing your dissatisfaction with the arrangement of Dogs Life supporting the puppy and kitten trade in this way.

Janice Williams, Associate Publisher, Universal Magazines

 Janice’s email address is jwilliams@universalmagazines.com.au, or you can post any letters to Locked Bag 154 North Ryde NSW 1670.

Designer pup going cheap…….

Email forwarded to us, Feb 11 2009

Subject: Very Cute Designer Dog Puppy Going Really Cheap, February 2009

Guys, apologies to everyone  for sending a general email like this, but it’s a matter of life and death.

 There’s a little guy called “Frankie” who’s at the Dee Why Pet Shop. My eldest daughter has puppy-sat him a couple of weekends.

And Frankie, who’s been in the pet shop for a couple of months is on his last legs – if he’s not sold this week he goes to the pound – and we all know what that’s likely to mean. Read more here….

DRP Comment: the pet shop industry are fond of telling us just how well they take care of their animals. So what exactly happens to the ones they can’t sell? What would you like to say to Frankie?

Recent press articles…….

There has been a flurry of newspaper articles over the past few weeks……

Pet industry, animal groups bares teeth over inquiry SMH Jan 16 09

“A bitter war of words has erupted between animal welfare groups and the pet industry over calls for a public inquiry into the number of healthy dogs and cats that are killed annually.

Large numbers of animals are euthanased each year in pounds run by the RSPCA, local councils and other groups yet the exact figures – and the reasons they end up being killed – are hotly disputed.  To read article, click here……“

Mysterious deaths spark anger as Sydney dog pounds kill pets Daily Telegraph, Jan 14 09

“TANGO was too aggressive, Alice too old, Coco too sick and Bosco too psycho. All – and hundreds more – are now dead.

Mysterious deaths at one of the city’s biggest pounds have sparked a major campaign by animal welfare and rescue groups to end the bloodletting at The Sydney Dogs and Cats Home.” To read article, click here…..

Grim end for Christmas puppies SMH, Dec 23 09

“It would be a hard heart that could resist the sight of puppies tumbling over one another in a pet shop window.

Many people do succumb to their charms, especially at this time of year, paying up to $1500 to take home an instant new family member.

But behind this heart-warming scene a venomous debate is raging about the way puppies are bred and sold. Opponents claim it is a profit-driven, inhumane business that indirectly causes the destruction of more than 60,000 unwanted dogs a year.” To read article, click here….

Dead dogs walking get reprieve SMH, Dec 23 09

“WITHIN about 100 metres of Monika Biernacki’s property at Ingleside you may as well turn off the GPS, open the car window and follow your ears.

This is a semi-rural part of Sydney with houses spaced wide apart on big blocks – which is a good thing, because the 100 or so dogs whose barking will guide you the last part of the journey to Monika’s Doggie Rescue make one hell of a racket.” To read article, click here…

RSPCA says adoption is best SMH Dec 23 09

“Nationwide last year, the RSPCA received 70,514 dogs at its pounds. Of those, 19,276 were rehomed but nearly 24,000 were put down.

And both those figures are growing. In fact, the number of dogs received in shelters and pounds has gone up by more than 20 per cent in five years.” To read article, click here….

Council pounces, stripping Lort Smith of its pound status The Age, Dec 08

“VICTORIA’S largest animal hospital has been banned from finding new homes for cats and dogs lost in the City of Melbourne, as local pounds brace for a sharp increase in the number of pets dumped over Christmas.

After helping to rehouse abandoned pets for the past 75 years, Lort Smith Animal Hospital has suddenly been ordered by Melbourne City Council to transfer all seized animals to a North Melbourne pound.” To read article, click here…..

Backyard puppy factories just waiting for the next bitch on heat The Age, Nov 23 08

“SHE is a dog with no name who lives in a bric-a-brac jumble by her master’s back door. Her owner appears surprised when asked her name and seems to pluck “Suzy” from the air. A small, grey-and-white crossbreed with matted hair, she doesn’t respond to Suzy. She snarls and squabbles with her litter of hungry pups over a bowl of dog pellets.

Like thousands of fertile bitches across Victoria, Suzy earns her keep by delivering puppies….. “To read article, click here….

RSPCA urges more control on exported pups The Age, Nov 30 08

“ANIMAL rights activists are calling for the Federal Government to close a loophole that allows thousands of Australian puppies to be sold to Asian pet farms to be used as breeders.” To read article, click here….

DRP: What are your thoughts on these articles?

Please let us know if you see any news articles – forward us the links so we can keep people informed.

RSPCA Queensland tries new approach to increase rehoming for cats and dogs

Courier News: “THE Queensland branch of the RSPCA has broken ranks with the organisation interstate by selling refuge animals in commercial pet shops.

Cats and dogs from RSPCA shelters go on sale today at Petbarn in Lawnton, just north of Brisbane, and the RSPCA’s World for Pets Superstore at Springwood in Logan City, south of Brisbane.

If the trial is successful, other Petbarns and pet shops across the state will be offered RSPCA animals…..”

Read more………

DRP comment: the article speaks about the RSPCA ’selling’ animals, but we consider this an innacurate label to a trial designed to rehome more rescued animals AND replace traditional pet shop sourced puppies and kittens. RSPCA Queensland CEO Mark Townend told us:

“I picked 4 pet shops that I were believed were “good” examples of pet shops and then sent our Scientific Officer out to inspect the premises with an extensive checklist. The pet shop owners were aware of why we were doing the Inspection and were very open to us.  At this point we started with just one of those pet shops.

I really believe it can make a differences by getting undesexed animals from unknown sources out of petshops and replace them with desexed RSPCA animals that need a home.

This has been done completely independently of PIAA.”

We say: “Well done RSPCA Queensland”

Tell us what you think! We’re interested in your views!

Pet Industry blocks suburban animal rescue centres

For  Immediate Release – Sydney, January 18th 2009      From: CatRescue NSW

Pet Industry blocks suburban animal rescue centres-
“Industry claims community rescue centres will impact pet shop profits”

Sydney NSW. The NSW Pet Industry has knocked back a proposed idea to allow council and community groups to set up small suburban rehoming centres for abandoned animals as they see it would compete with the profits of Pet Industry members, says CatRescue, the group who have pitched the idea.

The program, which is part of a 10 point plan proposed by CatRescue to help address Pet Overpopulation, came about after reviewing similar successful programs in other parts of Australia and around the world.

“The problem is that council pounds are located literally miles away from the general public, in the bush. They are open very odd hours and aren’t exactly good rehoming. Whilst you are interviewing a potential new home, three more people are waiting in a queue behind you to dump their poor sick animals”

“Our proposal is to use some of the Companion Animal Fund, the money that is set aside to reduce the problems of animal overpopulation, and work with council to set up suburban rehousing stations, that way we can have better access to people. Similarly, community groups will get onboard and assist in driving people, information and support to the rehousing station”

“They wouldn’t compete with Pet Shops as all we do is find new homes for animals, in fact, any smart pet shop owner would partner with the program and get the flow on product revenues”

But PIAA’s newsletter, “Pet News” has come out in angry opposition, claiming the idea is part of a socialist policy driven by PETA aimed at “destroying private industry and replacing it with government run stores “. “The Australian puppets of PETA should decide what their ultimate intention is” it said in it’s Jan 14th publication

“I don’t know what they are on about” said CatRescue. “We wouldn’t know a PETA person if they walked up in the street and bit us, all we want to do is find homes for thousands of dumped animals, no conspiracies, just getting the job done”

CatRescue and a number of other members of the Community program are pursuing the program nonetheless, with the first proposed rehousing station likely to open early this year.

More information contact Derek Knox or Kelly Lachman at CatRescue

First national pet rehoming program of its kind in Australia

Announcement: Well done!!

PetRescue and PETstock join forces to bring rescue pets out of cages and into the community. In the first national pet rehoming program of its kind in Australia, PetRescue and PETstock are proud to announce the 2009 In-Store adoption program.

The program will link rescues groups with PETstock stores, giving rescue pets the opportunity to meet and interact with potential adopters in store. PETstock General Manager of Marketing, Matt Taylor said, “PETstock is very excited about joining forces with PetRescue and the many hundreds of shelters they support around the country. Too many people will purchase a new puppy or kitten in a pet store without really thinking about what is required to responsibly own this animal and this subsequently results in the animal ending up in a shelter. Through our large number of stores and our strong online presence (www.petstock.com.au ) we think we can help PetRescue make a real difference and rehome these animals to families who can and will care for them properly.“

Adoption advisors will be on hand to help adopters choose the best pet for their family. All pets in the program will come vet checked, vaccinated, wormed, microchipped and de-sexed and ready to go to their new homes. Finding the ideal rescue pet has never been easier!

Yellow Pages promotes pet shop animal sales

Seen on The Yellow Pages website..

“If you’re looking to purchase a pet, such as a cat or a dog, you might want to consider doing so from a local pet store. Pet stores typically offer benefits that cannot be offered from pet shelters, breeders, and / or other facilities that offer pets. For example, you might find at a pet store, you will receive different benefits along with your purchase such as a warranty, veterinarian vaccinations, free or discounted health check ups for your pets, free or discounted pet supplies, among other perks.”

NO, NO, NO!
We have written to the Managing Director of Sensis to point out this misleading advertising and suggest an alternative paragraph. We will let you know the response…

New Code of Conduct misses the critical issues

The new Code of Conduct for pet shop sales has just been gazetted. Here is the link to the document (PDF)

 http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/244018/Animal-welfare-code-of-practice-animals-in-pet-shops.pdf

This replaces the current Code of Conduct for Pet Shops. It includes both Standards and Guidelines: Standards are mandatory and Guidelines are recommendations. Breaches of any of the Standards liable to a $200 fine. Section 10 is about the Sale of Animals. For example, the Standards (mandatory) include:

10.1.1 Dogs and cats must not be sold to people less than 18 years of age.
10.1.4 At the time of purchase of an animal, clients must be offered, at no charge, accurate written information on the care of animal purchased.
10.1.5 If within 3 days an animal (except a fish) is not acceptable to the purchaser for any reason, the pet shop proprietor is required to take the animal back and refund 50% of the purchase price of the animal.
10.1.7 If an animal dies or is euthanased as a result of a disease that is traceable to the point of sale and is verified by an appropriate authority such as a veterinarian, the person in charge will refund the purchase price or offer a replacement animal with the same guarantee.

But the Guidelines (NOT mandatory, just suggestions..) include:

10.2.1 The active promotion of desexing for cats and dogs at the point of sale is strongly encouraged.
10.2.2 The person in charge of the pet shop is encouraged to develop relationships with pounds and shelters to broker the sale of these animals through pet shops. This could be through the provision of noticeboards, posters or interactive displays, or the hosting of events at which shelter animals visit the business.

So nothing on the source of Pet Shop puppies and kittens, and the only thing on impulse buys is that written information about the “care” of the animal purchased must be provided.

The REAL issues are NOT addressed, namely:

• Where are the Pet Shops sourcing their animals? Under what conditions are the parents kept and bred?
• Pet shops can still sell animals undesexed to anyone (over 18 years) that has money, those animals have babies that are unwanted and dumped at pounds/shelters
• The lack of proper interviewing of prospective buyers to see if they can provide the right care for the animal for the whole of his/her life…
• The Pet Shops are still supporting the mass breeding (Puppy and Kitten farmers) into a market that is already flooded
• The result will still be an excess of healthy animals that the taxpayer via the Pound death row system has to ‘clean up’..

A very small step forward, but not even close to a real solution.

DODGY pet shop owners will face tough new penalties

Article from: Daily Telegraph By Lauren Williams
DODGY pet shop owners will face tough new penalties for maltreatment of animals under new state government regulations to be introduced next week.
Minors will also be banned from buying pets under the overhaul, and a mandatory three-day cooling-off period will be introduced to stop impulse buys. The move follows attempts by Clover Moore to introduce a drastic law banning pet shops altogether, claiming irresponsible breeding practices and impulse buys were out of control.
Pet shop owner Bob Croucher said the changes were a good “half-way point” and would give the RSPCA teeth to deal with pet stores doing the wrong thing.
“Things like small pens with too many animals and especially impulse buys are a problem for a minority of pet shops,” he said
The new laws give RSPCA patrol officers power to investigate stores and issue minimum $200 on-the-spot-fines. They will also specify pen and cage sizes for different animals and force shopowners to supply written information on how to care for purchased pets.
RSPCA NSW CEO Steven Coleman said his staff receive 200-300 complaints annually about pet shop conditions.“This will make it clear and fair as to what is required of pet shops and what is required of us to monitor them,” he said. He said the penalty system acted as a good incentive for owners to act ethically in the first instance and would tackle the problem of impulse buys.“Buying the animal is the cheapest part of owning an animal,” he said.
NSW Minister for Primary Industries Ian Macdonald said, while the majority of pet shops operate in a highly professional way and already met the new standards, “these changes are aimed at bringing all pet shop retailers up to the same level”.