How Dogs NSW fight changes to limit breeding

Steering Committee appointed for Companion Animals Taskforce

April 2013

Wednesday’s meeting of the Board of Directors of Dogs NSW, supported by input from a large number of ordinary Members who attended an Open Meeting held in conjunction, appointed a Steering Committee to lead the membership through the consultation period made available by the relevant Ministers of the NSW Government for responses to the Companion Animals Taskforce Report released on 26 March 2013. This is arguably the most critical period in the sixty odd year history of our organisation and its predecessors. For the first time ever, an attempt is being made to legislate our activities as “hobby breeders and show & trial exhibitors” into the same category as “large scale pet shop breeders” and “puppy farmers”. The uniqueness of our organisation seems to have been sadly ignored by the Taskforce. The things that make Dogs NSW different, will need to be emphasised in our final response.One outcome of Wednesday’s meetings was clear recognition that as many Members as possible should make an appointment with their local member and speak with them with a message from the heart about what your hobby means to you and how you perceive the oppressive additional tier of licensing and asso ciated regulation will affect your future in the hobby. You should also directly request that your Member represent your views when he casts his vote in relation to any proposed legislative change which evolves from the Taskforce Report. We also encourage you to put your thoughts into writing and convey them to each of your local Member as well as the two relevant Ministers, Hodgkinson and Page. To assist you, we provide the following contact details and links to assist in identifying your local Member. Further assistance will be added as it is collated and added by the Steering Committee who will meet for the first time on Monday 15 April 2013. Tom Couchman President Dogs NSW      http://dogsnsw.org.au/members/noticeboard/511-steering-committee.html

Information required on Dogs NSW…….

Dogs NSW have contacted their members to object to an Option proposed in the NSW animal welfare Taskforce 2012, an Option they themselves recommended, being an integral member of that Taskforce.

Click here to understand what’s going on….

To be specific, they support Breeder Licencing for non Dogs NSW members, and want an EXEMPTION for themselves ( cynical us believe this would drive more membership applications, but that’s another matter).

They want “self-regulation”.: From their paper to members:

“Dogs NSW Breeders already have in place a well regulated system which provides for; 

 • Education and Training prior to the granting of a Breeder’s Prefix 
• Proof of Residential Address verifying actual location of approved breeding premises 
• Compulsory Microchipping prior to registration 
• Availability of the Limited Register to restrict breeding of surplus animals 
• A Code of Ethics which sets the highest standards in breeding practises and commits all Registered Breeders 
to compliance with all relevant legislation 
• A regulated investigation and inquiry program to deal with breaches of our Code 
• A traceable Membership Number which can be used in puppy advertisements 
The  Taskforce  proposal  has  the  potential  to  add  a  further  tier  of  registration  on  Dogs  NSW  Breeders 
which would  undoubtedly bring with it unnecessary and unjustifiable further regulation and costs. Dogs 
NSW Members need to be one voice in opposing it. “

DRP Comment:

We think this is as good a time as any to reveal cracks in their “well regulated system” and breaches of their Code, and breaches of their “regulated investigation program” on breaches of their code,  which we are told that they often ignore.

Action you can take: 

If you have information, direct experience, or evidence, please post your story in the comments section below. We will never reveal your name or email details – all is confidential. Please, only FACTS and information, no exaggerations! We don’t want a legal letter from Dogs NSW ……..

And if they ARE squeaky clean, then that’s OK too!

Dogs NSW sabotages NSW Animal WelfareTaskforce recommendations……..

Dogs NSW is an integral member of the NSW Animal Welfare Taskforce.

“The Taskforce is chaired by the Member for Charlestown, Mr Andrew Cornwell MP, and consists of representatives of the following organisations, invited by the Ministers to participate:

• ·    Animal Welfare League NSW (AWL NSW),
• ·    Australian Companion Animal Council (ACAC),
• ·    Australian Institute of Local Government Rangers (AILGR),
• ·    Australian Veterinary Association (AVA),
• ·    Cat Protection Society of NSW (CPS),
• ·    Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW (LGSA),
• ·    Dogs NSW,
• ·    Pet Industry Association Australia (PIAA), and
• ·    Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals NSW (RSPCA).

Representatives of the Division and DPI also participate on the Taskforce.”

 The Taskforce public discussion paper was released earlier this month.. It contained several recommendations in the form of “Options”.

 “Option 1   Introduce a breeder licensing system

Key findings

There  are  effective  regulatory  mechanisms  in  NSW  to  prosecute  unethical breeders, including “puppy farmers”. However, enforcement relies on complaints from the community.

Some animal welfare agencies and industry bodies have indicated their support for the introduction of breeder licensing as a means to further strengthen the regulation of companion animal breeding practices and there is a move towards such licensing in other jurisdictions.

 A breeder licensing system could be developed to improve consistency in the regulation of cat and dog breeders by providing a “welfare tick of approval” with the aim of ensuring that breeders are ethical sellers. Licence requirements could be based on the enforceable standards of the Animal Welfare Code of Practice – Breeding Dogs and Cats. However, this system could be complemented by updating the  existing  guidelines  contained  within  the  Code  of  Practice  to  enforceable standards (see Option 2).”

 

All  good so far ……..so imagine our surprise ( actually, that’s a fib, we weren’t surprised at all) when we received the following information:

Why it pays to read the small print. One big reason why people question the motives of the Dog Breeder’s Association

It always pays to read the “small-print”.  Doesn’t it?

Many ethical dog breeders believe that membership of the ANKC, and the individual State kennel clubs such as Dogs NSW or Vic gives them  a sense of respectability when it comes to standards. Breeders have written to us saying that no Kennel Club member can sell their pups through pet shops, in other words “registered breeders” (registered by the ANKC ) are CLEARLY not contributing to the over-supply problem….. Our  “Strict National Code of Ethics” etc

So how many ethical “registered breeders” know that the ANKC recently and very quietly snuck the following  into their strict  “Code of Ethics”: