Dogs Suffer And Die On Filthy Puppy Farm

[Nekhbet]

February 25th, 2010

is puppy hell.

A damning report by council rangers reveals a puppy farm selling dogs to Geelong families is housing animals in horrendous conditions.

Dogs are kept in cramped cages, are covered in faeces and have been found dead on their chains in areas with no access to shelter or water, the Moorabool Shire investigation has found.

The council is now seeking an order from the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal to end the abhorrent conditions.

Animal Liberation Victoria secretly visited the farm on Monday to film the pens and sent images to the Geelong Advertiser.

Shire mayor Pat Toohey said last night rangers also had photographic evidence but it was too disturbing for the public to see.

The shire rangers' report revealed:

ANIMAL carcasses were left to rot on the ground throughout the property;

ANIMALS were kept in small cages littered with faeces;

DOGS were chained to wrecked cars, and

SOME animals died needlessly.

In the past year up to 59 dogs were discovered on the Beremboke property, north of Anakie, despite the owners, Les and Melinda Paxton, not having permits for so many animals, the report said.

Mr Paxton last night called the council report a lie and said he was considering legal action before declining to comment further.

The RSPCA last night supported the council's stance but said there were no grounds to prosecute the Paxtons under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

Animal Liberation Victoria investigator Debra Tranter said she feared for the safety of two huskies who appeared to be sick and were in a cage with a floor covered in faeces.

"There were no feed bowls, there were chunks of raw meat in this filth," she said.

"There was no clean water anywhere and some pens didn't have water at all.

"The dogs were in very, very small pens, in cramped conditions and were living in their own filth."

The shire rangers' report was instigated by the Paxtons' retrospective application for a planning permit to keep 30 dogs on the farm.

The Paxtons have kept dogs on the property for about eight years.

Compliance officers went to the property in September last year, and photographed the conditions the animals were kept in at the Marshalls Lane property, which is 1km from the Brisbane Ranges National Park and next to a native wildlife shelter.

Based on the report, councillors unanimously rejected the Paxtons' permit application at last week's council meeting.

The report to the councillors detailed how the application failed to meet standards for animal welfare, waste and water management and noise control.

"Based on advice from the Compliance Department, and evidence provided from various site inspections, the proposal does not meet the minimum standards for Code of Practice for the Private Keeping of Dogs," the report said.

It went on to outline how enclosures were not large enough to provide basic sleeping and eating areas.

"Further there is evidence of animals tethered in exposed areas without shelter (in these instances there is evidence of fatalities)," the report said.

"From the site photographs, access to clean drinking water does not appear to be readily available ... any water evident in photos does not appear to be clean.

"Pens do not appear to be cleaned regularly, faecal matter and significant amounts of mud present in pens, around property and on dogs."

Photographs of puppy farm 'too shocking'

Jeff Whalley

February 25th, 2010

SHOCKING: A pug sits in a small cage in this photo taken by Animal Liberation Victoria on a secret visit this week to the puppy farm north of Anakie.

PHOTOGRAPHS of conditions at the Paxtons' dog kennels were too distressing for the public to see, Moorabool Shire mayor Pat Toohey said.

Cr Toohey told the Geelong Advertiser the images, captured by rangers at the Beremboke puppy farm during inspections, were withheld from a damning council report on the farm.

"Certainly photos could not run in the report. The senior planning officer said they were not presentable in a public report," Cr Toohey said.

The Moorabool Shire is seeking an enforcement order from the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal to clean up the conditions on the site.

A council report said the kennels breached council policies for keeping dogs and failed the minimum standards for the Code of Practice for the Private Keeping of Dogs under the Planning and Environment Act.

Councillors voted to pursue the VCAT action at last Tuesday's council meeting.

Rangers who inspected the property last September found animal carcasses left to rot on the ground and dogs kept in cages strewn with faeces.

The scathing report to councillors revealed the puppy farm failed all 27 minimum standards for dog care.

"Given evidence onsite of avoidable animal fatalities, it is considered that the subject facility does not comply with this (health) standard," the report says.

It also found that there were no adequate effluent treatment facilities provided to contain, treat or dispose of animal waste within the boundaries of the site.

Cr Toohey said the case had only come before the council because the owners had applied for retrospective permission to keep 30 dogs.

RSPCA spokesman Tim Pilgrim said his organisation had been to the property and he applauded the council action.

"From an organisational point of view we do have ongoing concerns with over intensive breeding practices," he said.

"We are very pleased the council are taking action in these circumstances."

Mr Pilgrim said that while there were no breaches under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act there were code of practice breaches.

"These are outlined pretty clearly in the council report," he said.

how are there no breaches to the act disgusting

[Scarlet]

The RSPCA last night supported the council's stance but said there were no grounds to prosecute the Paxtons under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

How can this be the caes -some dogs with no water or shelter to start with

[Trisven13]

And yet they will raid someone's home and remove their dogs simply because they are debarked - the whole time the vet is examining them he confirms that they are in excellent condition. RSPCA are a joke.

[WreckitWhippet]

And yet they will raid someone's home and remove their dogs simply because they are debarked - the whole time the vet is examining them he confirms that they are in excellent condition. RSPCA are a joke. ;)

yes, it does leave you wondering.

So who is not telling the truth this time ? The RSPCA , the Council or the supposed puppy farmer.

You can't tell me that if the conditions are as bad as reported, that there are no grounds for charges. Something stinks as per usual.

[whippets]

Just goes to show the RSPCA are out for purebred registered breeders and not "business's" such as puppy farmers.

Puppy farmers, that are registered business's, have more rights under law than a purebred breeder hobbyist.

The RSPCA are a JOKE. Are they PETA with another coat on? probably.

[MissMolly]

The RSPCA last night supported the council's stance but said there were no grounds to prosecute the Paxtons under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

How can this be the caes -some dogs with no water or shelter to start with

I am loss for words.. No grounds to prosecute! seriously the RSCPA needs to wake up....

[Christina]

That has made me feel like throwing up ;)

How on earth can there not be grounds for prosecution ?

Why weren't these dogs seized ?

The photos should be published so the public really know what goes on & the lack of action to prevent it happening.

[sandgrubber]

February 25th, 2010

is puppy hell.

A damning report by council rangers reveals a puppy farm selling dogs to Geelong families is housing animals in horrendous conditions.

....

how are there no breaches to the act disgusting

Please provide link to article. I like to write to the RSPCA about such things and ask them to explain their position. . . and make them feel exposed to public condemnation for not doing their job.

[spottychick]

Yes, this isn't making any sense at all. How can there not be grounds for prosecution???? And these people clearly think what they were doing was okay otherwise they wouldn't have applied for the permit. No wonder they think that when everyone's telling them they haven't breached any laws!!!!! Are those poor animals still there???? Garrrggghhh!!! This is so disheartening!

[mona]

I just cannot understand the RSPCA....

Blatant cases of abuse - which on the surface this appears to be - are not pursued. And other cases , where there is no abuse , are pursued relentlessly.

At the end of the day , your heart has to go out to the poor dogs in this puppy mill ....

And to the ' people ' who run this place ;)

On ' Dog Whisperer' tonight ( Bio Channel at 8.30 ) Caesar goes in to rescue puppy mills dogs ... will be interesting to watch , as I guess he will then start the rehabilitation process...

[sandgrubber]

It's easy for such things to get misrepresented. The RSPCA is not one person. It is important to know who the spokesman was, and who they represent. The quote may have been taken out of context. For all we know, they interviewed a volunteer in an RSPCA op shop. Without knowing which act they are talking about, it may be that the statement is correct: "there are no grounds for prosecution".

It looks like the council has ample grounds to shut the place down with or without the RSPCA. . . . if I got that sort of report coming back on my boarding kennel (God forbid!), I doubt I'd be in operation long.

Not sure I want to take sides on an RSPCA vs. Animal Liberation fight without being clear of the details.

Edited February 25, 2010 by sandgrubber

[Tapferhund]

Just goes to show the RSPCA are out for purebred registered breeders and not "business's" such as puppy farmers.

Puppy farmers, that are registered business's, have more rights under law than a purebred breeder hobbyist.

The RSPCA are a JOKE. Are they PETA with another coat on? probably.

Whippets and Trisven 13 ,I totally agree with you in what you both have said and doG knows why they ARE out to get purebred registered breeders ....when the greater majority of us look after our dogs better than we look after ourselves sometimes. I even heard there was a raid ;) by the rotten RSPCA on a States governing canine body (?)...the RSPCA looking for breeders who 'might' have debarked dogs . If the b*st*rds focused on REAL cruelty cases such as this topics about and stopped hounding good people who take full care of their animals.....we ALL would be better off...including those poor darling dogs left to starve, die of thirst chained up in appalling conditions.

The RSPCA is a bloody disgrace IMO and so are the law makers who allow these puppy farms to exist and operate.

Doesn't that stupid man Don Burkless have ties to one or two of the puppy farms? I know he FULLY supports them and what they do. Grrrrrrrr.

Edited February 25, 2010 by Tapferhund

[Freshstart16]

ANIMAL carcasses were left to rot on the ground throughout the property;

ANIMALS were kept in small cages littered with faeces;

DOGS were chained to wrecked cars, and

SOME animals died needlessly.

Animal Liberation Victoria investigator Debra Tranter said she feared for the safety of two huskies who appeared to be sick and were in a cage with a floor covered in faeces.

"There were no feed bowls, there were chunks of raw meat in this filth," she said.

"There was no clean water anywhere and some pens didn't have water at all.

"The dogs were in very, very small pens, in cramped conditions and were living in their own filth."

HOW THE F**K ON EARTH IS THIS NOT ANIMAL CRUELTY...EXCUSE THE SWEARING BUT I AM JUST STUNNED. NO WONDER PEOPLE RUN PUPPY FARMS BECAUSE THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH THIS BULLS**T AND THINK THATS ITS OK.

[lappiemum]

Ok, this story is now the lead article on the Age online website. It also has a pic of one of the poor dogs - a very sad and skinny looking pug. Link is http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/animal-a...00225-p50q.html

Animal activists fight to shut down alleged puppy farm

MEGAN LEVY

February 25, 2010 - 2:57PM

Behind bars ... one of the dogs at the alleged puppy farm.

Animal activists are fighting to shut down an alleged puppy farm operating west of Melbourne after inspectors found the animals to be living in horrendous conditions.

Dog carcasses were left to rot on the ground, animals were found covered in their own faeces and enclosures were not large enough for some animals to lie down, according to an inspection of the property by Moorabool Shire Council.

The owner of the 20-hectare property at Beremboke, Leslie Paxton, had applied to the council for a retrospective planning permit to keep 30 dogs on the land.

However the council knocked back that request last week, saying the proposal did not meet the minimum standards of the council's animal keeping policy and was not in keeping with the land's zoning.

A council report revealed there were 59 dogs kept on the property late last year without approval, as well as additional livestock.

Three Animal Liberation Victoria members secretly visited the property at midnight on Monday to film the appalling conditions, campaign manager Debra Tranter said.

"The dogs are sitting in their own faeces. It was really, really bad," she said.

"There was one water bowl among about 40 dogs, and that water bowl had filthy water in it."

She said the farm should be shut down immediately, and called on the state government to pass legislation outlawing the factory farming of dogs.

Moorabool council compliance officers visited the property in September last year and took photographs of animal carcasses rotting on the ground, the council report tabled last week states.

"Many of the animals were living and covered in their own faeces," the report says.

"Photos show raw meat on the ground for animals to eat, and water containers tipped over.

"Photographic evidence does not reflect a good quality of life for the dogs."

The inspection also found significant amounts of faecal matter and mud present in pens; that kennels did not protect the animals from the rain; and between two and five large dogs were kept in one pen. The compliance officers found some animals had died unnecessarily.

The council concluded that the owners were running a puppy farm, advertising their services through the Melbourne Trading Post.

In his application for a planning permit, Mr Paxton claimed the dogs were family pets, and proceeded to name 30 dogs.

When contacted by The Age today, Mr Paxton declined to comment.

Moorabool Shire Council chief executive officer Robert Dobrzynski said Mr Paxton had 60 days to lodge an appeal against the council's decision with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

If an appeal was not lodged, the council would seek an enforcement order under the Planning and Environment Act to have the current use of the land cease, Mr Dobrzynski said.

[Jed]

Maybe the RSPCA was too busy nabbing Judy Gard? Registered dogs and single older ladies are easy targets. Teach those registered breeders a lesson.

Or maybe there wasn't a TV crew handy?

Or maybe ........................

Makes a mockery of their stance of wanting to shut down puppy farms. Could have started right there.

Someone is lying.

I don'r much are for AL, but I do admire Debra Tranter for talking the talk and walking the walk.

Onya Debra

[puggy_puggy]

Very sad.

[puggy_puggy]

Debra Tranter speaks on ABC radio -

http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/local/ballarat...684_2883096.mp3

[Nekhbet]

I know Deb was in a state of shock after visiting. RSPCA says he has broken no laws ... apparently the shade provided by the tip the dogs live in is enough.

I have known about this farm and another bloke who he is chummy with for a while. I also know so many people call the RSPCA and the council to complain and nothing gets done about it, like they can't be bothered ... must be all the rego fees the council gets from them

The council around here is useless, the RSPCA is useless. Makes you want to just do the old mob justice and break the dogs out yourself then lock Les and Melinda in those stinking cages to rot.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

Sickening.

Paxtons, what scumbags - I'd like to keep them in a cage too small to fully stand up and let them live in their own crap for a few months. Oh yes, and I might just get forgetful about regular feeding and topping up their water bowls ...

[bluecollie]

http://tools.geelongadvertiser.com.au/phot...tegory_id=12575

Photos taken by Animal L:iberation