Wales steps up the pace after BBC doc exposes more animal cruelty at Welsh puppy farms

The current flurry of bans across the UK was triggered by the condition of Lucy, a badly disfigured breeding female uncovered in a Welsh puppy mill.

Changing legislation is not a quick process, and nor should it be. The correct procedures must be followed to ensure the development of sound, evidence-based, proportionate legislation aimed directly at optimising standards of animal welfare and encouraging responsible animal ownership.
I have already committed to reviewing the Animal Welfare (Breeding of Dogs)(Wales) Regulations 2014 and also made clear the value I see in banning third party sales of puppies and kittens if a ban could deliver the health and welfare standards I wish to see in Wales. Further urgent action is needed and the following actions have been undertaken this week:
CABINET WRITTEN STATEMENT: Dog Breeding in Wales

The BBC Wales Investigates documentary, “Inside the UK’s Puppy Farm Capital“ and accompanying clip “Wyre Davies is on the trail of the people behind the multi-million pound puppy industry” is a blistering video essay on the horrors of puppy farms, mills or large-scale breeding ops, however you wish to call the despicable practice.

BBC Wales Investigates the people behind the multimillion-pound puppy industry. New owners can spend thousands of pounds on dogs, but what’s really going on inside licenced premises? Wyre Davies confronts the breeders, inspectors and vets who should be policing the trade.
BBC Wales Investigates

Average bans per year just bumped to 33

We track average bans per year since the first activist ban targeting a puppy store was passed by the hard work of Dawn Armstrong, then Executive Director of South Lake Tahoe Humane Society, which no longer exists. ¹

Dawn and the whole community were disgusted by the puppy store there, Brock’s Pups, run by the Franks family, grandfather and grandson, who also owned Lil’ Pups in Carson City and Pets R Us in Meadowood Mall, Reno.

The day Dawn got the ordinance passed, the language of which is still largely in use to this day, the Franks were lead out of Brocks’ Pups in handcuffs for 1). Drug trafficking to minors for which ol’ man Franks was sent up the river for 6 years; and, 2). Parole violations.

Since that fateful day that started a movement, 364 bans have been passed in total, 41 have been passed in 2019, which just bested the previous year, and our average bans per year popped from 32 to 33.

We do have to note, however, we’re only at 40% of the bans passed in the single year 2016 and at just over 10% of the total bans passed. And so far, with the clock ticking to the end of the year, no statewide bans have yet been passed in 2019.

Good news, though: one COUNTRYWIDE ban passed this year, in England, with 2 more on the way in Wales and Scotland. Northern Ireland may join soon, though no action has yet been taken.

¹ Dawn Armstrong told us in 2013 when we interviewed her at the start of Puppy Mill Free Reno and our tracking sites Puppy Mill Free US and End Puppy Mills World, that she was able to retire in peace and tranquility now that her work was being duplicated not only all over her home state of California, but was finding passage throughout the US and into Canada.

When Ms. Armstrong left in 2013, Niki Congero was hired as Executive Director. We spoke with her on several occasions regarding animal welfare issues at the lake, but didn’t get a satisfactory response.

Three years later, news broke that Congero had been arrested for embezzlement of the South Lake Tahoe Humane Society, by running up charges to the limit of the credit line of the non-profit. That limit was $60,000. Much of it went to personal expenses, included a gambling jones for which the SLTHS footed the bill.

The organization was not able to recover. The Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe, a merger in and of itself, absorbed the SLT HS and now runs shelters all around the lake and the nearby High Sierra town of Truckee, California; which, by the way, passed the 124^th ban in February 2016.

England PM’s dog is a puppy mill rescue

From Wales online:

The ‘wonky’ Welsh puppy who is Boris Johnson’s new Downing Street dog

The little Jack Russell cross puppy with a misaligned jaw was abandoned by a puppy farmer

The new dog set to reside at Downing Street has been rescued from the South Wales Valleys.

At just 15-weeks-old, the little Jack Russell cross puppy named Dilyn nearly found himself being shot or drowned after being abandoned by a Welsh puppy farmer.

Wales Publishes Responses to Proposed Dog & Cat 3rd Party Sales Ban

Welsh Government Yesterday the government of Wales published the long-awaited document reviewing submissions of comments (“consultations”) by the public. Remarks were submitted by 458 agencies, organizations and individuals in the open period from 19 February – 17 May 2019.

The results are quite as expected. Near unanimous support with a few eye-rollers: the typical fatuous argument that a ban won’t completely end the industry so why bother to do anything at all.

Blue Cross, an animal rescue and rehoming agency active in Wales, Scotland and England since 1897, had this to say:

We don’t agree that just introducing a ban on thirdparty sellers will have any impact on those sellers that make large profits and choose to operate outside the licensing regime. We believe that before introducing a potentially knee jerk piece of legislation, the government must assess the scale of the third party trade in puppies and the impact any such ban would have on licensed large scale breeders.
Blue Cross submission to the Gov’t of Wales Call for Consultation on ending third party sales of dogs and cats.
Emphasis ours.

They go on about stricter regulations being the best course. We in the ‘States know this strategy simply does not work as most governments are unwilling to put additional staffing and revenue/expense burdens on those budgets already stretched, which the route of strong restrictions causes en masse.

New York City is a showcase for this. NYC’s strong restrictions of dog and cat retail sales have proven near-completely unenforceable and sales go on largely unchecked, while their outright ban of rabbit sales has put a stopper on the rabbit overpopulation problem by directly ending impulse purchases in pet stores.

The English ban is set for enforcement on 1 April 2020. The law was deemed Lucy’s Law after news about a spaniel in a typical puppy mill horror situation achieved viral status in the UK. Lucy was imprisoned in a puppy mill in Wales.

Lucy tugged at the Brit’s heartstrings when photos of her fused hips and curved spine from years of living an empty life of nothing but breeding went viral on social and news media. This image is from a Sky News May 19, 2019, article: ‘Lucy’s Law’ puppy farm ban set to be confirmed.

Welsh activists have called on their government to “beat the English to it.” With Lucy’s Law laid in the spring of this year the Welsh government would have to move swiftly, mandating enforcement in less than 8 months, to win the race of taking this critical step in ending animal cruelty in the British Isles.

Either way, England and Wales are now the de facto model to the world of how a countrywide ban can be enacted through the determination of activists to bring about change.

End the suffering.

England law “laid,” ban effective 4/2020

Puppy and kitten farming to be banned under ‘Lucy’s law’

The Guardian, 5/13/2019

A law banning puppy and kitten farming, which campaigners hope will end the practice by some unscrupulous breeders of keeping animals constantly pregnant and often in dirty and cramped conditions, is to be laid by the government.

More than 95% of responses to the government’s public consultation expressed support for a ban.
The Guardian

The change, expected to come into force in April 2020, will mean young cats and dogs can no longer be sold by a pet shop or commercial dealer unless they have bred them.

Would-be pet owners will need to deal directly with breeders or rehoming centres, though some campaigners have called for the law, to be laid on Monday, to go further and clamp down on the practices of animal sanctuaries.

….

The decision to ban commercial third-party sales was announced in December and follows years of campaigning. More than 95% of responses to the government’s public consultation expressed support for a ban.

The legislation will come into force on 6 April 2020, which the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said would give the pet industry and consumers time to prepare for the change.

The state of UK bans

England

In October 2018 Defra introduced the Animal Welfare (Activities Involving Animals) Regulations 2018. The Regulations introduced new licensing procedures for selling of pets, boarding for cats and dogs, hiring of horses, breeding of dogs and keeping or training animals for exhibition. In February 2018 a call for evidence was launched and this was followed by a four week consultation in August 2018 on plans to introduce a ban on the commercial third-party sales of puppies and kittens in England. The consultation also sought views on the licensing of rehoming and rescue centres to avoid current third party sellers claiming exemption to any possible ban.

On 23 December Defra [Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs] confirmed it will be banning the third party sales of puppies and kittens in England.

Northern Ireland

During 2018 DAERA reviewed the matter of animal establishments in Northern Ireland, including establishments that sell pets. In 2019, DAERA intends to engage with stakeholders to obtain their views on the future licensing system in Northern Ireland.

Scotland

In September 2018 the Scottish Government launched a consultation to seek views on proposals to introduce new regulations for the licensing of dog, cat and rabbit breeding activities in Scotland.

The consultation considered how thresholds for licensing may be determined depending on the size of the undertaking and how this may work for organisations with multiple premises.

Wales

See post Wales Comments Closed

Wales comments closed

The Welsh Government Consultation Document, Third Party Sales of Puppies and Kittens, issued 19 February 2019, has now been closed for responses as of 17 May 2019.

We are seeking your views on a proposed ban on commercial third-party sales of puppies and kittens in Wales.
Animal Welfare & Framework Branch, Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ

Consultation description

Commercial third-party sales may be associated with poorer welfare conditions for the animals compared to buying directly from the breeder.

For example, the introduction to several unfamiliar environments and likelihood of multiple journeys may contribute to an increased risk of disease and a lack of socialisation and habituation.

We are consulting on whether a change of policy and/or the law would improve the welfare of puppies and kittens when being sold.

OVERVIEW

There are concerns that commercial third-party sales of puppies and kittens may be associated with poorer welfare conditions for the animals compared to when people buy directly from the breeder. For example, the introduction to several new and unfamiliar environments and the increased likelihood of multiple journeys the puppies or kittens have to undertake. All of these have the potential to contribute to an increased risk of disease and a lack of socialisation and habituation for the puppies and kittens.

The Welsh Government wishes to consider whether or not a change of policy and/or the law in Wales would better protect the welfare of puppies and kittens when being sold.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN ISSUES?

High standards of animal welfare are a priority of the Welsh Government. The Wales Animal Health and Welfare Framework1 sets out our plan for continuing and lasting improvements in standards of animal health and welfare for kept animals.

Currently, puppies and kittens can either be purchased directly from a breeder (licensed or unlicensed depending on the number of breeding bitches at the premises), via a third-party seller, or from a rescue/rehoming centre. There are no national records of the number of puppies and kittens sold via third-parties.

Commercial third-party sellers are those who are licensed pet sellers; In Wales they will hold a licence under the Pet Animals Act 1951.

There are concerns commercial third-party sales of puppies and kittens may be associated with poorer welfare conditions for the animals compared with direct purchase from the breeder. For example, the introduction to several new and unfamiliar environments, and the increased likelihood of multiple journeys the puppies or kittens have to undertake have the potential to contribute to an increased risk of disease and a lack of socialisation and habituation for the puppies or kittens.

On 19 June 2018 the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, delivered an Oral Statement announcing her commitment to explore options of banning commercial third party sales of puppies and kittens in Wales. On 5 November 2018 the Cabinet Secretary announced a consultation would be launched to gather information on the supply chain and establish where government intervention would have the greatest impact.

WHERE ARE WE NOW?

The introduction of the Animal Welfare (Breeding of Dogs)(Wales) Regulations 2014 led the way in the UK in addressing welfare concerns at licensed dog breeding establishments. The Regulations provide for licensing of breeding premises with three or more breeding bitches. However, we do not wish to stand still and will be looking to review our Regulations to ensure they meet the high standards we are expecting. In particular there are still concerns about the welfare standards at some licensed breeding premises and also in the enforcement of the Regulations. The findings from this consultation will help shape future changes but we cannot pre- empt what those changes will be at this point.

There is currently no requirement for people breeding cats to be licensed.

There are 219 licensed dog breeders in Wales.

There are less than 20 licensed pet shops selling puppies and kittens in Wales.

Originating Consultation document, 2/2019 https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/consultations/2019-02/third-party-sales-consultation-document.pdf

UK: down to 1

Originally we put down all four UK countries: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland as 4 countrywide bans. But we’ve learned that referendums need to occur in each country.

England has committed to passing legislation to end sales of dogs and cats in pet stores.

The government has confirmed it will be banning third party sales of puppies and kittens, Animal Welfare Minister David Rutley announced today (23 December 2018).

The decision was taken following a public consultation, from which there was over 95 per cent support for a ban. It will help bring to an end the terrible welfare conditions found in puppy farming and solve a range of existing animal welfare issues.

Wales, too, is close to committing, with a cut-off for public comment on the matter on 17 May 19. Under our Wales details we have a counter displayed if the date as not yet passed.

The Welsh, Scottish and Northern Ireland flags are greyed out until further legislative action. Check the UK section and click the flags for updates. Use the sticky top menu under Details > UK to find it fast. You can also click on any UK country on our Big Map. Or take this direct link.