fiery_di

Well this is a topic close to my heart as I nearly had to surrender coco when I was at my previous rental property. There was a big thread on it back June/July.. I also work in the real estate industry so this would be an added advantage. Count me in Oh, and for any landlord that denies a potential tenant as they have children?!? This is highly illegal & can get done by CTTT for discrimination. In nsw anyway.

So so sorry for ur loss.. I lost my heart dog ruby to cancer in apr 08. Not a day goes by that I don't think of her. She is still a very often visitor to my dreams. I don't think I will ever truly be over losing her so my heart goes out to you big time. I too didn't think I wouldn't be returning without my darling girl that day. She took her last breath in my arms unassisted by any drugs. That is how quick it took hold & took her from me... Pls take care...

I shouldn't laugh. Dont worry... I did!! :D

What makes you think that if banning was put in place there would be alot of stolen purebred dogs? and who would be behind the stealing of them? I would think that most purebred pet dogs would be desexed, right? and as for registered breeders I would think that their breeding dogs would not be so easily accessible to thieves. Alot of purebred pups dont go out to their new homes desexed though, and some are put on limited register where the breeder wants stock out of them in return. Some arent desexed until 6mths of age, and in that time they could very well be stolen and put to work in a puppy farm. And I have seen multiple purepred dogs very accessible that are owned by registered breeders.

Can you imagine all the kids with oodles or pet shop puppies going home in tears to mom and dad... that would do a lot for the cause. Would be interesting wouldnt it.. Do you mean that it would do alot for the cause in a good way? Or do you think that alot of parents could get their knickers in a knot? Sorry sarcastic isnt effective on the internet. I think it would be negative especially considering how OTT some parents are. Think of children would feel, here are dogs suffering and YOUR beloved pet caused this! It has nothing to do with them, it would just make them feel guilty for loving thier dog. And make enemies of parents who would have needed the education the most. Good point actually - I guess you would have to be very careful in the delivery. Saying something such as - You know, maybe your dog didnt come from one of these places, BUT they are growing & expanding and think of the other dogs that are in these mills. If you have a dog and you dont know where it came from, just remember - Your dog is still your dog, you love them & cherish them & they have done nothing wrong, in fact they are the victim. They deserve a good life. But the more these mills pop up & keep running the more 'other' dogs are going to be kept in these horrible conditions. Even some of us have in the past bought a pet from a place where these puppies came from. It isnt that we did something BAD but we just werent aware of what truly goes on in some places. That is why we can make a stand in the future. Waffling a bit.. I mean we talk about stranger danger & people NOT being allowed to touch us in private places. It would be great if we could teach the kids about pet danger too.

Can you imagine all the kids with oodles or pet shop puppies going home in tears to mom and dad... that would do a lot for the cause. Would be interesting wouldnt it.. Do you mean that it would do alot for the cause in a good way? Or do you think that alot of parents could get their knickers in a knot?

Good point.. Agreed in regards to the pet shops. I can see where you are coming from. Puppy mills would probably much rather sell direct for a higher profit margin, BUT is banning the puppy mills then altogether going to the solution OR creating a bigger problem with a more sinister outcome? As you mentioned the breeding would NOT cease, they would find a ways & means to keep breeding and selling & at the risk of poorer & more worse conditions than they already are as it would be illegal. And because it could become to hush hush & secretive it could go right on under our noses to our unawares! Whereas not banning would be easier to monitor/police (not that they are doing a great job it seems from the articles/websites I have read) & try to keep it regulated. Again I reiterate, I dont suggest that I have the answers. Just trying to put the points across from that other perspective that the outcome of banning could be WORSE than what it is being legal. God it is a hard situation..

Some great points raised. I still honestly dont see how banning puppy mills & pet shops from stocking/selling will be the ultimate solution. Band aid, yes, but not the outright solution. Another point I considered was actually having a person in authority as spokesperson going into all the schools (such as a ranger, a rescuer, a pound worker)? Preschools, primary, high school and 'educating' the youngsters firsthand. They are the impressionable bunch, and the ones that are most likely to 'want' a puppy or dog & beg the parents to get one. Educating them on the plight of the dogs/puppies in puppy mills (dont know if a lot of parents would like their children EXPOSED to such graphic-ness, but I guess individual written permission could be sought) and then teaching them to know where to go, what answers to ask, what to look for, what style of dog/breed is best for their actual environment when they endeavour to bring a furry member into the household is another way in teaching thus minimising the amount of dogs bought from places that receive their stock from ill-repute puppy mills. Imagine what it would be like having a child say that they want a puppy, then the parent saying let's look in the paper, then the child turning around and saying that they would rather go to the pound or rescue org, or wanting to know what they were getting & where from, and knowing what health issues in the ancestry? As a parent you couldnt possibly help but take the child seriously could you??

But the govt/councils get a kick back from all the registrations of puppy farms' dogs dont they? Another body that are probably just looking at the $$$ rather than the appalling mess it is making!!

Ok, so this is probably a bit random & probably very hard to source but I wonder if anyone researched the affect on the quantities of dogs in pounds with the release & popularity of 'Pound Puppies' stuffed toys many moons ago. Would be interesting to see some data. Leveraging off something like that, which, if proved that it was effective then what not to say that using a marketing ploy such as that to get the 'message' across nowadays to educate people about the seriousness of dog ownership & when their dog actually came from could actually work? Dont know if that makes sense. My mind is going around in circles. This puppy farming & DD popularity is doing my head in!!

So very true. It HAS to start with the governing bodies. It seems that they are the ones that need to take action and set the ball rolling.

It certainly feels like it doesnt it Skitch!! It just seems to be a never ending cycle. I always thought we were getting somewhere in educating the consumer. Then along comes the DD breeds and then WHAMMO, another branch of the sinister cycle has started. Another excited consumer with a cute little puppy on their hands, another excited pet shop owner seeing $$ coming through the store with this new development of DD's that are easily accessible via the puppy farms, another excited puppy farmer seeing $$$ to churn out the 'demand' for these DDs. Another point I hadnt thought about Whippet - yep alot of stolen purebred dogs to add to the equation if banning was put into place.

Have been thinking about this on the way home on the train. Presently I have been advocating the BANNING of the selling of puppies from pet shops etc. BANNING puppy farming etc. Make it illegal persay. What is to say though, that it wouldnt then go underground/black market (much like dog fighting) where we know even less about the farming of puppies as it is kept even more 'hush hush'?? Then wouldnt it be a bigger problem? Whereas if it wasnt banned then at least it could be better monitored and policed? I dont claim to have the answers, but it has made me think whether BANNING is the ultimate solution. Thoughts?

Gosh that is so true. I struggled for some time going back to the vet where Ruby passed. I HATED the thought of going in there, but I had other pets with issues that this vet still had on file so I had to do the right thing by them otherwise I dont think I would have returned due to the traumatising memory. They were the loveliest people tho. I really love the idea of a donation. Very special & so sweet after losing a loved one.

I have posted on the Bondi Vet FB page... Ch10 Bondi Vet FB Page I believe the page is screened & monitored, BUT my post to their page is still linked to my FB page..