Fury over controversial puppy trade - Australian puppy mills

The RSPCA investigated 21 separate breeders across Australia last financial year.

Thousands of puppies raised in squalid cages are being sold with genetic health problems to unsuspecting owners.

And animal activists say these pictures, taken three months ago at a breeding kennel in Sale, reveal the extent of what they say is a tragic and unethical trade.

The animal protection society says that “cruel puppy farms” are using limited breeding pools to produce a generation of dogs beset with genetic health problems including blindness, arthritic joints and skin problems.

ACA Breeders Kennels in Sale, has an estimated 300 to 400 dogs are kept for reproduction purposes, have denied the exploitation.

Owner Colin Hams denied the dogs he bred had genetic defects or that they lived sad lives and that female dogs were pregnant or lactating all year round. He described some of the pictured areas as “hotels” and said the dogs were “very happy”.

“They’re fed every day, watered and have shelter,” he said.

“It’s a factory, a production line with rows and rows of breeding mums,” ALV spokeswoman Debra Rigaldi said. “Puppy farms are the ultimate betrayal of man’s best friend.”

And RSPCA President Dr Hugh Wirth said the dogs pictured probably experienced a life of “terror”.

“They live a life of confinement and deprivation,” he said. “It’s very difficult to find them a home later because they aren’t used to open spaces, they are just terrified.”

Pet-owning Victorians face a doubling of the costs of keeping dogs because of health issues linked to puppies reared in farms or by careless breeders.

Veterinarian Dr Robert Zammit said “unethical” breeding had to stop.

“It’s genetic cruelty to breed dogs from parents with hereditary problems,” he said.

From: The Herald Sun (Eleni Hale)