Alyosha

Yep Gaylek you're exactly right. Disgusting. What people need to realise and be careful with kids stepping into adult competitive worlds, is that damage done is damage done.

Hi Cupcakes. A slightly different perspective from me. This is a subject I have a little personal experience in... My daughter at the same age (12) wanted to get into showing. She fell in love with a particular breed and we bought a pup for her. We weren't after a world beater, just something she could have fun with. At her very first show a competitor came and spoke to her when she was toileting her baby, and asked to look at the puppy. This competitor looked in pups mouth (yes, rude!) and found a reverse scissor bite - puppy teeth mind you. The resulting hoo-ha and general scene made, this exhibitor bringing it to the attention of everyone in the vicinity etc was dreadfully demoralising to our daughter. She was put in the spotlight and made to feel horibbly exposed and humiliated no matter what we said to her or the other exhibitor. To their credit other people were very good about it - but that mattered not. Upshot of the situation? She has never been back in the showring, and I doubt she ever will. The puppy was eventully desexed as two teeth remained out of alignment and we ended up rehoming her. I think the whole relationship between my daughter and her was tainted - as much as she loved that pup she was a constant reminder of feeling humiliated and exposed. Which in a pre-teen girl can be a very BAD thing indeed. Show people can be heartless and lack tact and concern about children and their feeling when their own winning or competing is involved. Your daughter might be the stubborn resilient type who would take such an experience and build on it. But if not, I would hate to see another young interested person put off showing. edit - sp

Apparently such wholesome parents to start with, obviously they always have their child's welfare at heart if the police were there in force searching for drugs... Dog bites are much more harmful that illicit drug and criminal lifestyle exposure...

Congratulations to Team Marakhoff!

No help from me Pugger, 4 kids, 3 dogs, 1 pony, 2 ferrets, 3 birds, foster wildlife animals of various species etc. Plus I wouldn't say no to another dog, not at all...

Elfin maybe you should advise the council that you may need to enlist the help of the media to help you warn the community about a dangerous dogs in the area. And of course you would also be obliged to advise the media that the local council has so far taken no action about it. Photos of injuries should go with any emails to council or media. ETA - don't forget that it is squeaky wheels that get grease. Keep making noise about it, don't let up.

Healing hugs from me and the Borzoi gang to poor Bernard.

That's what I was going to say! If you don't need ANKC registration - Koolies are lovely.

So sorry this has happened. Owning an attacking dog is a criminal matter and should be investigated by police. It can give an avenue of compensation if the owner is charged, you can claim for costs through the court. Even if the matter can't proceed criminally - insufficient evidence etc - don't despair. Civil court proceedings have a different burden of proof and you can still launch action against her. If you have her full name and issue a civil suit against her the authorities will find her address for service of documents etc. Can we do a fundraiser through dol to help with vet bills in the meantime? Has been done a few times, I'm sure there's still members about that have been a part of getting it started - anyone have some advice? edit - can't spell...

Yes... Tell me about it... My daughter's pet ferret escaped her cage one day last week... It took Sonya all of about 2 seconds to dispatch her once she squeezed through the fence into the backyard... The other two borzoi were on the other side of the yard "That's off limits - we're not involved in touching it! Not us, no way!"

Yay!! :D Can't wait to meet her.

I've seen the same. My boy was the runt in his litter and is not even close to being the smallest now they're grown up. But some do stay small.

It can be more individual that breed-wide as well. My Borzoi, in the presence of wild rabbits - yikes! But one in particular. Her nickname is The Huntress. She is much more instinctive and less conventionally trainable than our others, and woe betide anything small and furry that crosses her path if she's not on a lead... Although she's ultra safe with any size dog - she's a super-mother type as well as a huntress.

:D Will she be in Canberra for the long weekend?

The saddest part is that these sort of parks are not just frequented by locals. Overseas visitors who should and do know better make up a large proportion of visitors to such places and events.

I was about to say that was a pretty brag-less post Diva, get back in here and do some big letters or excited emoticons!! Actually, I'll do some for you: CONGRATULATIONS!! :p To both of you. :D

Edit: Whoops, forgot to talk to OH. Many ex battery farm chooks are suitably productive for home use. They need time to settle into normal diet and routine without extra lighting etc, and basic health care like a good worming. Some will go off the lay for a while and them settle into a production. But a few do have long term effects like Jdavis said, and may not live too long.

I'm sure you'd rehome lots in Canberra. We have a few for sale every now and then through where I work and always have people ringing wanting them - many more enquiries than chooks! Could you advertise on Gumtree or similar for interest?

I think you both have a good point. It is a great idea to promote things like this within the dog community, to both responsible breeders and pet owners, as well as within the wider community. Promoting it here is a great way to get people to attend and make sure that the messages stay right, that it doesn't turn into breeder bashing in general but stays focussed on those greedy individuals who are intent on putting the dollar before the dog. Edit for spelling - too early, too little coffee...

It will indeed be interesting Souff. Maybe anyone from DOL that can attend could let us know? Ensuring that any big, public animal welfare campaign stays sane and free from PETA style hysterics and antics seems somewhat of a challenge. I suppose it's all about engaging average citizens and not overly zealous types. The worry is anti-breeding sentiments in general (PETA style again) getting mixed in with it, under the anti puppy farm umbrella so to speak.

It needs to be part of any public awareness campaign to define what you're talking about. I think the term puppy farm has come into widespread usage due to the commercial production based natures of such establishments. The RSPCA site has this to say on them Dogs on puppy farms are little more than breeding machines used to make their owners money. Mothers may be continually mated and kept with their puppies in cages and never allowed out to exercise, play, have companionship or even go to the toilet. Puppy farmers will sell to anyone, wholesale and retail, and by any means, on-line, through pet shops, via newspapers and car boot sales or by using a false house as a ‘shop front'. To avoid supporting puppy farmers the RSPCA strongly recommends not buying a puppy unless you can view the parents and where it was born. The RSPCA has released a Puppy Farm Discussion Paper and is calling on governments, responsible dog breeders and other groups to help end puppy farming in Australia. And goes on to say this: If you're thinking of getting a dog, consider visiting the RSPCA or another reputable rescue organisation first. There are many wonderful animals looking for new loving homes. But if you're seeking a specific breed then you'll need to find a responsible breeder. Check out the RSPCA Smart Puppy Buyer's Guide for some advice on how to go about it. Their Smart Puppy Buyers Guide seems to give much the same information that is dealt out to newbie dog owners who ask questions on here about how to find a good breeder. It also says this about defining a puppy farm: PUPPY FARMS A puppy mill or puppy farm is a mass-production facility that breeds puppies for profit. The puppies and their mothers are often kept in very poor conditions. Breeding animals may be continually mated and kept with their puppies in cages and never allowed out to exercise, play, have companionship or even go to the toilet. Puppies born in puppy farms often have long-term health and behavioural problems as a result of poor housing conditions, poor maternal nutrition and a lack of adequate socialisation during the crucial first few weeks of life. Which seems to quite well defined, and I can't think of any good registered purebred breeders whgo would fit the criteria, nor any that would want to be associated with people who did run a breeding establishment like that.

You can't have prevention and proactivity without starting somewhere. Going back to the start of this thread, publicity and increasing public knowledge about puppy farming issues is an attempt at prevention, at solution. Regardless of other issues people have or don't have with RSPCA, don't we agree that the average Joe who goes looking for their next puppy online and is charmed by the hyped up image of the latest "oodle" needs and deserves to know the other side of the story? Some people on here would be stunned to know just how ignorant many citizens are to the concept and practice of puppy farming. Many on DOL live and breathe dogs and can't imagine not knowing these things. But surprisingly enough they are actually not public knowledge. Most people know about battery farms but many are still willing to buy cage eggs, so how are we even going to start shutting down puppy farms without even having a base level of common knowledge? People need to know before the situation can be resolved. Media attention gets messages across.

A Borzoi. We had an old newfie when I was little, and after she passed we always had GSDs and I loved them... but... But when I was about 10 a lady came to school one day to pick up her neice. She had a big red & white borzoi with her. I was fascinated. I went up and said hello. The dog stepped forward and just stood up, ever so gently, a paw on each of my shoulders. He looked down into my face calmy and then hopped down and walked elegantly away with his mistress. That was it for me - I was obsessed... It took me over 20 years of admiring them before I got my own, and they were worth the wait.

Not us. We're entered but have a child in hospital so will be absent...

I'm sure I might have missed something... But isn't the main source of revenue for puppy farners based upon the fact that there is a market demand for puppies? So if they restrict the registered and ethical breeders even more, and continue to choke down numbers produced, won't that just create more potential buyers for irresponsibly produced pups? Shouldn't the CCs be pushing for a drive in public education about where to get a good dog, and encouraging the buying public to source pets from registered breeders? If those breeders are not allowed to breed there is no point, there'll be nothing for the public to buy...