Stop the illegal transport of puppies and dogs from Romania

Puppy Alert supports the action as highlighted below in the link.  It is important that anyone whether involved in the puppy trade which I abhor or bringing into the UK dogs and puppies through rescue comply with current legislation to ensure that the UK remains rabies free.  The transportation of rescue dogs is classified as an 'economic activity' and those transporting dogs and puppies must be complient. 

http://www.causes.com/actions/1704269-boycott-the-illegal-transport-of-dogs-from-romania

Worth mentioning also Channel 4 Monday 11th March Dispatches is showing a programe on the illegal transporation of puppies from Eastern Europe.

Welsh Commercial Dog Breeders and their Waste

Welsh Commercial Dog Breeders and their Waste

 

Many licensed dog breeders in Wales are acting illegally when disposing of solid waste from their dog breeding kennels such as faecal matter, contaminated soiled bedding, and empty chemical containers.  These items must all be disposed of via a suitably permitted facility.  Dog faeces and carcasses are defined as 'hazardous waste' under Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005 and it is the responsibility of the dog breeder to ensure that the site used for disposal is permitted to receive this particular type of waste (Waste Code 18 02 02*).

 

However, Puppy Alert can reveal that Councils in Wales are licensing dog breeders with full knowledge (FOI) that they are not following current legislation, they are using the following illegal means of hazardous waste disposal: slurry pits, dung heaps, septic tanks, farm waste, compost, council bins, fields, skips, burning and incinerators (the latter requires a licence). 

 

It has for many years been common practice for livestock and sheep farmers to use a slurry pit for the purpose of storing the slurry from the farm, when the time is right, according to legislation, spreading it on the land is considered acceptable.   

 

However whilst the spreading of livestock farm waste (slurry) is acceptable the storing and spreading of dog faeces is not.  This is of grave concern as many licensed dog breeders in Wales are also working farms with many Welsh farmers having diversified into dog breeding. Some owning and breeding from 50 to 200 breeding bitches, most keeping their dogs in agriculture sheds. Many farmers have continued the practice of using the slurry pit for the storing of dog faeces together with farm waste then using it as a fertilizer and spreading it on the land. This both unacceptable and illegal.  Even worse considering that sheep and livestock are grazing on the grass ending up in the food chain.  

 

The Centers for Disease Control in the USA strongly warns against the use of large quantities of dog faeces as a fertilizer.  Common pathogens such as Campylobacter bacteria and parasite worms can infect humans, composting and sunlight are not reliable as far as destroying these viruses which can 'aerosolize'  (float in the air) and attach to the leaves of edible plants fruit and vegetables.   

  

The open burning of controlled waste and land spreading of dog faeces and (stillborn) carcasses is also an offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.  It is very unlikely that the Environment Agency would give permission for wastes such as this to be composted.  The holder would need to apply for a permit/waste exemption and this would certainly be refused.  

 

The advice from the Environment Agency for kennels is as follows: wash down from kennels and drainage should be directed to the foul sewer, or if it is not available to a sealed cesspool.  These areas should be covered to prevent rainwater being collected.  The contents of the cesspool should be removed by a licensed contractor for off-site disposal.

 

Drainage to a private sewage treatment plant must only be considered as a last option, and only if appropriate treatment and flow balancing are provided.  The plant would need routine maintenance to be carried out under contract with the supplier (specialist knowledge is required to ensure correct operation to meet consent conditions).  Because the high strength of the effluent may affect the adequacy of the treatment, advice should be sought on the design, installation and operation of this type of plant. 

 

With this advice available from the Environment Agency for kennels, why have Councils not advised dog breeders when granting and renewing their dog breeding licenses of their responsibilities, instead of allowing so many to operate illegally?

 

There are approximately 162 licensed dog breeding kennels in just three counties in Wales, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire, Wales, with at least 5,200 breeding bitches capable of producing at least 25,000 puppies per annum, without taking into account the 249 premises that are operating unlicensed.  These figures represent a large numbers of dogs and their waste. It is unacceptable that these Councils and the Welsh Assembly, whilst looking at dog breeding under CAWES, did not appear to be aware of this illegal activity as it has not been raised.  Puppy Alert hopes by highlighting the situation that action will be taken by the Environment Agency against Councils and licensed dog breeders that are flaunting the law and placing humans and animals at risk by contamination of the land and ultimately the livestock entering the food chain. 

 

Update: 10.02.2013

 

It has taken the Welsh Assembly until now, when alerted by concerned members of the public, (even though this situation has been in operation for years) to wake up to the situation amongst their farming community that are involved in dog breeding alongside farming. The Councils licence and inspect premises for dog breeding they have a responsibility to ensure that all dog breeder dispose of their dog waste according to current legislation and not in ways that are irresponsible, unacceptable and illegal.  Here is their response to my email.

Please read as follows:-.

 

Thank you for your letter about the disposal of waste at licensed dog breeding

establishments. It has been passed to me to respond.

The disposal of waste is not a Welsh Government matter; the enforcement responsibility lies

with the relevant Local Authority and also the Environment Agency. However, the Guidance

accompanying the forthcoming Animal Welfare (Breeding of Dogs) (Wales) Regulations

2013 does cover waste and stipulates the following:

“Facilities should be provided for the proper reception, storage and disposal of waste.

Particular care should be taken to segregate waste arising from the treatment and handling

of dogs with infectious diseases. The licensee should check with the Environment Agency

for current guidance on the appropriate means of disposal”.

The aforementioned Regulations are currently being translated and checked by the Welsh

Government’s Legal Department. Once this process has been completed, they will be

tabled in the National Assembly for Wales for a period of 40 days to allow Assembly

Members to comment on its content. Finally, a Plenary Debate will be taking place on 7th

May 2013. If there are no amendments, the Regulations will come into force shortly after

this process.

 

 

The Dog Transport Runs from the Irish Republic to the UK

The Dog Transport Runs from the Irish Republic to the UK.

Dog Rescue conjures an image in many people’s minds of responsible individuals taking care of an animal in distress, tending to its immediate needs, veterinary attention, vaccination, neutering/spaying, assessing the dogs suitability to be rehomed, behaviour advice sought if necessary and ultimately finding the dog a good home, where it will happily spend the rest of it life and not be returned to the millstream of the neglected and unwanted.   Is this too idealistic, the vision we like to believe in and the image that rescues like to portray to the public of happy ever after for puppies and dogs that find themselves entering the doors of rescue or is there a story to tell behind the scenes.  I believe there is.

Have you ever considered why some dogs, even young puppies, find themselves in need of rescue in the first place or where they have originated from?  We read the explanations given to rescue by people giving up their dog or puppy, new baby, house move, allergy, dogs’ behaviour, change of financial circumstances or even bought the wrong dog.   Valid reasons or just convenient excuses, one can never tell. 

Sometimes the puppy through adolescence becomes too high maintenance both in financial terms and its needs.   Some owners feel guilty admitting this to a rescue.  Some will try to find a home through free ads or the Internet; others leave dogs tied up outside rescues rather than are honest and speak face to face with them.  For some owners handing a loved dog into rescue is a very last resort and can be a very distressing time.  When through no fault of their own or their dog they reluctantly leave their dog in a rescue due to unforeseen circumstances.  Walking away from a whimpering dog is very distressing, difficult to resist just one more glance over their shoulder before leaving in the hope that the dog will not fret for family in unfamiliar surroundings and the rescue will keep to their word to find their dog a good home.

What of the street dog, the ones that owners either intentionally or unintentionally allow to roam   who are picked up by the dog warden and taken to the local dog pound and not reclaimed.  What story lies behind the reason they have been found unwanted, if only they could tell us.  In the UK most rescues struggle to find homes for dogs in their care yet oddly some rescues make a great effort to increase the numbers even further by importing dogs, puppies and even cats from the Irish Republic due to the high destruction figures in their dog pounds.

What happens to dogs that are released from Irish pounds into the hands of Irish rescues involved directly or indirectly in transporting dogs and puppies to the UK?  Does the consequences of this action impact on the dogs waiting for homes in our rescues, some waiting for months or even years if the rescue has a non-destruct policy?   The message relayed by Irish and UK rescues involved in transporting dogs is that our rescues are full of bull breeds and staffies and not everyone wants a staffie; therefore by sending Irish dogs to the UK people have a better choice.  Is this true?   There are certainly some nice dogs in rescues that take Irish dogs but should they take priority, have the chance of a life whilst our resident dogs wait longer in the queue and maybe never find a home?   Is it irrelevant where a dog or puppy comes from and the reason it is unwanted providing it is cared for and found a home?  Many in reply to this question will say, it does not matter, but does it if the numbers of dogs arriving are frequent and high?

Due to the regular high numbers of stray dogs impounded in the Irish Republic,  unless the dog pound has an arrangement to release the dogs to a local rescue they will have an euthanasia policy allowing just 5 days for the owner to collect their dog.  This short window and large numbers of dogs not just from the pounds but 'hand ins' direct to the rescue, puppies from back yard breeders and ex breeding bitches, offers the rescue a large selection of dogs and puppies but not always by choice.  This allows both the Irish and particularly the UK rescues to cherry pick and select the ones they wish to have.  They say it is all about ‘saving dog’s lives’ but is it if they cherry pick?  They say the aim is to take as many dogs as possible that can be loaded into a vehicle that they believe they can rehome and transport to the UK.  The Irish rescue will sometimes only keep the dogs and puppies for a short time, sometime a few days not adequate time to neuter spay or vaccinate, when this occurs it results in dogs leaving Ireland intact and puppies too young to be operated on.  The vaccine routine used is uncertain too.  The whole system operated by rescues involved both in the Irish Republic and the UK is shrouded in mystery and uncertainties.    

When any Irish rescue involved in sending dogs to the UK as a ‘commercial activity’ they should comply with the Passport for Travel or the Balai Directive but they do not.   They fail to  even ensure that every individual dog, puppy or cat prior to leaving the Irish Republic is examined by a vet, fully vaccinated, wormed, in reasonably good health neutered and spayed,( if necessary).   Which should be the very basis of good practice for every rescue, equally for an Irish rescue shipping dogs to the UK? 

Some UK rescues are keen to take Irish dogs and this is their main source of supply, no doubt because they are so easily obtainable, presumably free, selected by themselves in some cases before arrival, so they will know what they can expect to arrive or ready waiting for them to pick up.  The dogs and puppies as far as the eye can tell, often look in reasonable health and suitable to be rehomed and they are, often very quickly.  However if the Irish rescues fail in ensuring the dogs are neutered, spayed and vaccinated the cost is passed onto the UK rescue receiving the Irish dogs. 

The Minister of Agriculture in the Irish Republic assists animal welfare by offering rescues substantial yearly grants to those that apply.  The question I ask is why are two most prolific Irish Rescues responsible for sending dogs to the UK and in receipt of a Government grant in December 2012 of £7,000 and £10,000 to assist with neutering/spaying, vaccination, and rehoming sending untreated dogs to the UK?  

THE DOG AND PUPPY TRANSPORTERS.

Reading this one may wonder why I am so uptight about the dog transporters traveling to and fro between the Irish Republic and the UK if dogs are being saved from Irish pounds and the treat of euthanasia.  

I wish to make it clear quite clear from the onset I am not speaking out against those in rescue that occasionally bring dogs and puppies, a few at a time to be rehomed in the UK or more providing it is carried outlegally,  responsibly and with animal welfare the  priority.  What I am speaking out against are those involved that are operating an ‘economic activity’ but are not complying with the legal responsibility of doing so.  That is wrong, people are financially supporting them as rescues, yet they are a business’s just like any other business and the dog’s puppies and cats are what bring in the financial benefit because people will donate, raise funds and leave legacies to a ‘rescue’ if they feel they are supporting the dogs and puppies in their care.    But a ‘rescue’ that operates without full transparency only telling the public what they feel the public would like to hear regarding their finances is a long way from being totally honest and upfront with their supporters and how the money donated and raised is spent.  Sometimes the public are getting duped into believing they are helping the animals (they may well be) but indirectly they could be helping and supporting those that run their business in the name of rescue.   Sadly,  sometimes that is the case.           

Some ‘rescues’ involved in the frequent dog transport runs for many years.  The movement of Irish impounded, unwanted dogs and puppies is not new, it has been in operation for some considerable time with more and more UK ‘rescues’ coming on board in support, both to collect and receive Ireland’s unwanted dogs.     

Regularly vans both large and small, 4 wheel drives and even a cattle truck have been loaded with dogs, puppies and cats. Not a few dogs by a rescue assisting another  but regular consignments of 30/50/70 even 80 dogs at a time are undertaken, in addition to litters of puppies and cats.   These runs are regular, one UK rescue travels to Ireland every week to bring back 25/30 dogs, others travel every two weeks and Irish rescue can take 50 dogs or more when they have used the cattle truck.  Some rescues book in advance the dogs they want to accept and display on their web site before they arrive in the UK.  There is is not just one or two UK rescues on the transport run but a cartel of rescues some friends or off shoot of another setting up on their own. Some falling out with another back biting or jealousy creeps in over who gets what.  It is crazy, six rescues on the South Coast and one in S Wales all on self-ego trips of who can take and rehome the most dogs and puppies from Ireland.  They are not the only ones there are many other operating under the same methods elsewhere in the UK.

What none of them seem to appreciate or comprehend is that what they are doing is an ‘economic activity’ and due to this they have certain legal obligations.   

These rescues rely in the main upon two Irish Rescues one is a Charity called Inistioge Puppy Rescue run by an elderly lady the other is called Animal Heaven Animal Rescue run by Suzanne Gibbons AHAR does not have any official recognition or registration as a either Charity or Company, they  operate from two different areas and receive dogs from various pounds, puppy farms and assist with dogs from other rescues.  Both are in receipt of the Ministry of Agriculture grant of £7,000 and £10,000. Inistioge Puppy Rescue is reliant upon UK rescues travelling to Ireland to collect the unwanted dogs and puppies.  Whilst AHAR has on numerous occasions taken dogs in their cattle truck to the UK, dropping dogs off at a rescues enroute to the South Coast of England where the main receivers of Irish dogs and puppies are situated.  AHAR say they have rescued 2,600 dogs last year with 70% going to the UK which is 1,820.

Anyone reading this will say what is all the fuss about the dogs are being saved aren’t they?   Well yes they are being taken from a pound situation to two Irish rescues which are both in dire need of repair and refurbishment and lacking in facilities for the dogs and puppies they hold and rehome in Ireland and send to the UK.  

Let us look for a moment at the requirements for transporting dogs and puppies as an ‘economic activity’.  The legislation relating to transporting dogs and puppies is applicable both in the UK and Irish Republic so there can be no excuse for any rescue involved in the transport runs to not be aware, yet few comply resulting in the majority operating illegally without the required Authorisation 2 under the Animal Welfare Transportation Order 2006.  They know it is easy and they have taken advantage of this loophole as there are no designated entry ports for animals transported between the Irish Republic and the UK.  The Ministry of Agriculture in Ireland when he issued his year list of grants to rescues he reminded them of the legal requirement that they must adhere to.  However how many will heed his advice remains to be seen.

The lack of stringent inspection and enforcement by border controls at the ferry ports used by the transporters has resulted in rescues taking chances of not being caught when they have transported dogs’ crated in unsuitable vehicles.   For journey sometimes 12 hours or more by road and ferry in insecure loose cages inside vans and even a cattle truck.  This is illegal anyone transporting   dogs and puppies on this scale as a ‘economic  activity’ must be in possession of Authorisation 2 under the Animal Welfare Transport Order for any journey over 65km  and must have an approved  and inspected vehicle to comply with the legislation.  Some dogs would not be considered fit or acceptable to have made the journey to the UK if they were carried by registered vehicles and inspected at the border controls. 

In recent transports to the UK they included an emaciated weak elderly lurcher, a blind German shepherd; a border collie too soon after a femoral head osteotomy endured an uncomfortable long journey in a cage for 12 hours which must have been unbearable. A pregnant staffie x that became pregnant whilst at the Irish rescue (based on gestation figures) gave birth a few weeks after arriving in the UK to 7 puppies but 4 died.  Reports of puppies dying of parvo virus soon after arrival and sometimes dogs in poor bodily condition, possible from puppy farms, there are many more instances that due to lack of inspection by border control and Trading Standards animals have unnecessarily suffered on these transportations.  If they were inspected when these dogs were on board before leaving they would have been turned back.  The rescues involved I believe know they are operating inefficiently resulting in some using various ferry crossings each time to avoid detection in a periodic check.    

It appears there is a common objective by all involved to take as many dogs from the Irish pounds and transport as many dogs out of the Irish Republic into the UK as can be crammed into a vehicle, regardless of the suitability or condition of some of the dogs and puppies, vaccine regime, spaying or neutering as routine or undertaken by all.   It appears to be irrelevant.  They ignore legislation and common sense appears to go out of the window.

Who are the receivers of the Irish dogs from Animal Heaven Animal Rescue which is not a Charity or as far as I know registered anywhere else?  They are a business.  They will I am sure not mind my mentioning their name as they are gaining much TV coverage this week and funds are rolling in.  Surprisingly they do not say they will use the money raised from TV, radio and media coverage to improve the accommodation for the dogs at their premises or to vaccinate, spay and neuter but to purchase a new vehicle to take even more dogs to the UK.

 Allsorts Dog Rescue appears to be the favoured by AHAR at the moment.  Allsorts Dog Rescue is not Charity or a Company either; they call themselves a non-profit organisation.  They are a business that rent kennels, and last year received nearly 500 dogs from AHAR.  The dogs and puppies are displayed on Allsorts web site a few days before they arrive at their rented premises.   The dogs photos are often taken at AHAR this enables prospective purchasers to reserve a dog or puppy (a little foolhardy perhaps as they have not met the dog and the ‘rescue’ say they do not keep dogs) before the dogs arrive in the UK.  The purchaser is given a neutering voucher; the dog is priced at £150 but more for a Star dog (whatever that is).   

Rushton Dog Rescue they are a new Charity, as yet are not required to submit accounts to the Charities Commission.  Since moving from Dorset to Somerset they do not appear to have received many if any dogs from AHAR.   Although previously and regularly transported dogs in their own vehicle from AHAR.  Perhaps when settled they will start up again but they too will require Authorisation 2 and the correct vehicle if they resume the transport run to Ireland as before.  They say they neuter and spay and all dogs are vaccinated.   

Dorset Dog Rescue (DDR) is not a Charity or Company but a business.  They do not own kennels and rely upon people to foster their dogs.   They say they make a regular runs each week to Inistioge Puppy Rescue in the Irish Republic to pick up dogs and puppies and have been involved in doing so for years.  They say they have a Defra approved vehicle however it does not appear that they have Authorisation unless it is in a mystery name as does not appear officially.  Picking up 25/30 dogs a week plus puppies are a lot of dogs in a year (30 x 52 = 1,612). They offer a neutering voucher and vaccinate.

Stockenchurch Dog Rescue this is a Registered Charity with it appears very good facilities.  They too have taken from AHAR dogs delivered by cattle truck. However they do not appear to take too many dogs or too frequently.

Many Tears Animal Rescue used to be in favour with AHAR but Inistioge Puppy Rescue is the main source of puppies and dogs in recent times.  They are private Ltd Company running as business limited by guarantee but asked Companies House permission not to use the Ltd in their name.  Guess it would give the game away that they are a business, a word that does not sit well alongside rescue.  They do have a Defra approved vehicle and have Authorisation 2 enabling them to transport animals (dogs) over 65km.  However they are known to be over zealous and on an occasion sent two vehicles returning to Wales with 80 dogs and puppies, maybe a lesson was learnt as some puppies developed parvo virus and died.

According to what was reported in 2011 they rescued and rehomed 2,000 dogs (not all from Ireland) they also take from puppy farms in Wales but far less than previously due to their involvement with Ireland.   They own boarding kennels but most of their dogs are in foster homes throughout the UK.  They spay/neuter and vaccinate dogs by using a part time vet working on the premises, which enables dogs to be operated on and vaccinated if necessary soon after arrival.  The dogs and puppies are then transported into foster homes throughout the UK in the shortest time possible  after arriving from the Irish Republic.  A questionable practice as the dogs will already be stressed from travelling when operated and vaccinated.      

Comfy Care Rescue, DAWG, Pound Puppy, Puppies Needing Homes all take dogs and puppies from the Irish Republic and as many others apart from Many Tears Animal Rescue who operates from Wales and Stockenchurch Dog Rescue  in Bucks they are all in the south of England.   Dorset Dog Rescue and Stockenchurch  are registered Charities, Many Tears Animal Rescue registered at Companies House, Comfy Care Rescue, Allsorts Dog Rescue, Dorset Dog Rescue, Pound Puppy, Puppies Needing Homes and DAWG are not as far as I can tell not registered with any official body.  Regardless of their status they all are operating as an ‘economic activity’ and all are obliged to comply with the law when transporting animals. Only one Many Tears Animal Rescue has authorisation to transport animals from the Irish Republic.       

This is just the tip of the iceberg but it gives a brief glimpse of some of the rescues on the south  of England and one in SW Wales involved in collecting and delivering dogs and puppies from the Irish Republic on the rescue run as an ‘economic activity’.  There are many more throughout the UK.    

       

Dog and Puppy Traffickers

Dog and Puppy Trafficking

 

Any ‘rescue’ transporting dogs, puppies or cats as an ‘economic activity’ from the Irish Republic (ROI) to the UK must be in possession of Authorisation 2 under the Animal Welfare Transport Order 2006.

This EU Regulation applies equally to UK ‘rescues’ who travel to the Irish Republic to collect and bring back dogs, puppies or cats as part of an ‘economic activity’.

http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/animaltransport/

http://www.defra.gov.uk/food-farm/animals/welfare/transport/transporter-authorisation/

There are many individuals and businesses based both in the UK and Ireland who as part of an ‘economic activity’ do not transport dogs, puppies and cats legally.  The trafficking of rescue dogs, puppies and cats in regular, large consignments in unsuitable vehicles must not be allowed to continue as it places the animals at risk and allows animals to travel long distances when not always fit to do so.  If those responsible cannot comply with current legislation to ensure their animals welfare then this needs to be highlighted.

Many of the transporters are taking advantage of the lax border controls operating at ferry ports both in the Irish Republic and UK and using this as their advantage.  This is allowing many 'rescues' to be non compliant with the Animal Welfare Transport Order 2006.  They are also ignoring the legislation relating to the movement of dogs, puppies and cats under the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) and the Balai Directive for the commercial movement of dogs, puppies and cats, which is a matter for Local Authorities Trading Standards department to enforce.  They decide based on evidence available, whether to take action against individuals and businesses suspected of not complying with the relevant requirements both at ferry ports and the dogs, puppies and cats final destination in the UK.  

 

 

 

  

The Farmers Hidden Secret

The Farmers Hidden Secret.  

 

Before reading further please open the link http://www.beilibluetexels.co.uk/ to find what can be described as a very attractive sketch of a period farmhouse as it was years ago and alongside the property as it can be seen today, a modern photo of a farmhouse with agriculture sheds to the right, making an attractive rural scene. The written account refers to the occupants prized sheep, a flock of blue texels named after the property Beili Bedw, together with details of the business side of the farm of 120 acres owned, with a further 180 acres rented fields used by the sheep farmer to graze his 1,200 sheep for meat production.

The article makes interesting reading.  One could be forgiven for taking the account on face value, the life of a modern day sheep farmer following in the steps of his grandfather who was also a farmer with an interest in livestock.   However there is a difference, this modern day farmer has a secret, one he hides from view and does not advertise or write about on web sites, in fact you will find no advertisements for his wares. His hidden secret lies behind the agriculture barn doors and they are silent.

This modern day sheep farmer is also a licensed commercial dog breeder (licensed by Carmarthenshire County Council), not like his grandfather who kept a few dogs for breeding but is licensed to keep 196 dogs on the premises.   Making this modern day farmer the largest licensed commercial dog breeder in West Wales.  Like all battery dog farmers, (the name I use to descibe  these large commercial breeders), he too sells his litters of puppies to dealers and pet shops.  The general public do not enter the premises to purchase puppies, therefore few people know what goes on behind the closed doors of the agriculture barns - these dogs, just like the battery hens live for most of their entire productive life behind closed doors, they are kept for one purpose alone to produce endless litters of puppies.

This sheep farmer that was granted retrospective planning permission for change of use for the agriculture sheds from 9 breeding dogs in 1994 to 196 dogs on the premises in 2011. was the same farmer that placed the original application into the Council for an extension to the barns stating the use was for housing sheep and agriculture implements. That plan did not materialise, the farmer declared in his statement to planning.  Instead this modern day farmer equipped the agriculture barns with automatic feeders, made cubicles for the dogs, lots of dogs, many more than his licence permitted but he forgot he needed to have planning permission for change of use. 

 

This modern day farmer even believed together with his wife, an employee of Carmarthenshire County Council and one part time employee that they could adequately care for, at the time  in 2011, 800 sheep and 200 followers, now increased their stock to 1,200 sheep and 196 dogs and the Council agreed this is acceptable.   Is it any wonder that this retrospective application drew the attention of nearly 800 objections, all ignored by Carmarthenshire County Council, who have shown only contempt for peoples objections and gave permission - common sense disregarded.

Look again at the photo of the agriculture barns and ask yourself what must it be like for a dog to spend its entire life within an agriculture barn to produce and whelp puppies every heat season for the pet trade?   The dog breeding licence conditions may say a breeding dog can only produce one litter in 12 month period but without irrefutable identification how can one tell.
 

Who is socialising the puppies? There is no one to care adequately for the dog’s or the puppies needs and who will take care for a breeding bitch about to give birth and to oversee their whelping needs? This is gross exploitation of the needs of the dogs for monetary gain. It is not acceptable to accommodate a few hundred dogs in a barn with automatic feeders and expect them to fend for themselves. It is also not acceptable for Carmarthenshire County Council to have agreed to licence the premises for 196 dogs and granting planning permission for change of use.
 

Mr modern farmer next time you decide to write about your business affairs and the sheep that you so proudly display at shows, spare a thought for your dogs the ones that are isolated within your agriculture sheds, the dogs that are to you only as important as to the income gained from their exploitation on the conveyor belt system operating within yours and others premises churning out endless litters of puppies then selling them to dealers for the pet trade.  Why not write about their life on a web site?  No of course that would not be advisable because too many decent people may object to the commercial breeding of dogs contained within agriculture sheds on a battery dog farm, kept as livestock.  Dogs are sentient beings, please treat them as such instead of exploiting them for monetary gain.
 

Read the full account of the planning application and the Councils decision here.   It is quite enlightening.
http://online.carmarthenshire.gov.uk/agendas/eng/PLAC20110830/REP03.HTM

 

Beili blue Texels

www.beilibluetexels.co.uk

Beili Blues is a pedegree flock of Blue Texel Sheep based in Llanllwni north of carmarthenshire.

 

 

Pet shop helps rescue?

To operate their business Oak Tree Kennels were granted by their local Council a pet shop licence, this enables them to buy in and resell puppies. As a condition of their licence they are inspected once a year, but like many Councils that licence pet shops they use just the standard conditions which are basic and relate to the premises and the conditions under which the puppies are sold and accomodated whilst waiting to be sold. The pet shop licence, unless the Council has placed 'extra conditions' on the licence places no restrictions on the owner of the premises to purchase their puppies from reputable sources. Taking into account that responsible, ethical breeders do not sell puppies to pet shops and dealers the only doors open to those that operate under their pet shop licence is to purchase puppies from commercial breeders/battery dog farmers/puppy farmers usually supplied though a dealer.

The purchaser is usually asked to sign a puppy agreement and offered four weeks free insurance, but a pedigree certificate is not always offered or registration document, however the puppies they say are front lined and wormed and health checked, however why they are health checked is unknown as the purchaser does not always receive a vaccination card to verify the puppy is vaccinated.

Anyone purchasing a puppy under these circumstances will not be able to verify where the puppy was bred and by whom. The puppy maybe advertised as a pedigree puppy by the name of the pedigree breed but without authentic paperwork how can the purchaser be certain of the breed of puppy, where it was bred and under what circumstances if sold without any history or more to the point the purchaser is unable to speak to the breeder.

This is a high price to pay (in cash) for a puppy of an unknown quality, even worse when a puppy is found to be sick within 48hours of purchase and the owner is faced with veterinary bills. To see a puppy with diarrhoea with blood and mucus is alarming at any time but even more so when the puppy is so young. To have to take it back and forth to the vets for tests and samples, to be told the puppy has coccidia, compylabactor, possible kennel cough, (one of which is a zoonosis, the other conditions infect other puppies/dogs) seeing the puppy becomming lethargic then admitted to a veterinary hospital, all within a few days of purchase is very disconcerting and upsetting.

This situation should occur but it does, there is no excuse if pet shops obtained their puppies from reputable ethical breeders but of course an reputable, ethical breeder would not sell litters of puppies to dealers and pet shops as explained earlier. If pet shops and dealers were proud of the puppies they sold why not be honest with the consumer and offer the full details of the puppies breeder, something they should be doing if the breeder complied with their own dog breeding licensing conditions when selling to a licensed pet shop. However, due to the shady operating practices of pet shops licence holders some do not disclose their source of supply of puppies even to the purchaser.

The general public must be more aware of the way puppy traders operate and not be duped into a false sense of security by listening to sales talk. This pet shop states the 'puppy is being homed to help fund the rescue work of Oaktree Kennels! That should not be a reason to buy a puppy so more can be bred to end up in rescue, what a nonsense.

Puppies imported illegally from Eastern Europe.

The concern for purchasing a puppy from a pet shop, dealer, free ads in newspapers ad online web sites has always been highlighted by Puppy Alert. In recent months there has been the added concern of purchasing a puppy that has been bred in Eastern Europe and exported illegally to the UK without the correct paperwork or vaccine as required under the Pet Passport scheme, due to the UK laxing its quarantine regulations.

More information can be read in this article highlighted by Hampshire Trading Standards where some purchasers have been faced with extra costs above the price of the puppy, including veterinary bills and quarantine for their puppies after purchasing a puppy online.

http://www3.hants.gov.uk/communications/mediacentre/mediareleases.htm?newsid=526600

If you cannot see the puppy with its mother in it's natural surroundings then you should not be purchasing the puppy.  Because you have not met the breeder, you cannot be certain the puppy is healthy, vaccinated with the correct paperwork.  A risk not worth taking when rabies in some countries is still prevalent.