Have The Means To Make A Doco On Puppy Farms

[melzawelza]

Hey everyone!

One of my closest friends is a young film maker - currently works for ninemsn and has worked for sbs also.

We were discussing puppy farms the other day and she asked me if I was passionate enough to put the work in to make a doco about it. Of course, I am, and she has said that she is 100% keen if I also want to do it. She has all the gear needed, the skills as far as how to put a documentary together, filming and editing, and some connections in that she could possibly try to sell it to sbs. I work in the animal industry as a dog trainer and have plenty of knowledge about puppy farms and dogs in general.

We've pretty much decided that we are going to do this (when possible as she's currently filming a short film and my boyfriend is doing all the sound etc).

I was hoping for suggestions from you guys as to what you think should go into a documentary about puppy farms, in order to try and get the message across to the general public.

Some of the things I've thought could be addressed:

-Discussion of the problem of pet shops

-Interviews and promotion of ethical breeders and why it is preferable to source your puppy from them

-Maybe teaming up with someone like Animal Liberation Victoria to see if it was possible to use some of their footage and things like "Oscar's story", or even go on a raid with them and get our own footage

-Interviews with people who have found that their dogs are from puppy farms, and the behavioural issues they may face due to this

-Pounds/rescue i.e where a lot of these pups end up

-Genetics and breeding and why it is so important to get it right

What does everyone think? What do you think is the most important thing to cover when it comes to the issue of puppy farms? I always feel that coverage is never graphic enough (think that piece by 7.30 report) but at the same time you don't want it to be so sad that people turn it off.

Appreciate any input whatsoever, I hope that if we get this right then we can do our hardest to get it out there. Every little bit counts and even if only a few people see it, if it changes their attitude then it will have been worth it.

[Christina]

Teaming up with Animal Lib Vic is an excellent idea. They are very active in this area so hope they are willing.

You need photos. I don't think the message & horror of it all gets across by words only. A photo speaks a thousand words.

I know about it all & get upset & angry when I read but a photo reduces me to tears.

Best of luck with this. Hope it gets much publicity when done.

[melzawelza]

Thanks for your response!

I agree that there needs to be photos, and even more preferable - video footage. I agree people think it's sad and all but it's actually SEEING it that makes it real. However I think there is a line that is crossed where a lot of people will switch off because it upsets them TOO much, and then miss out on the message. It's a very fine line. I want it to be shocking enough that people are moved to do something, but not so shocking they won't watch it.

[Shmurps]

Great idea. There will be a few DOLers that I'm sure will give some great advice and ideas.

I agree with teaming up with ALV and maybe Deathrow Pets.

ALV have a doco available on DVD. An Australian Filmmaker William Wolfenden, who created The Puppy Mill, is currently approaching Australian broadcasters to get this valuable documentary aired.

It's on their website under Prisoners for Profit.

Good luck.

[melzawelza]

Sounds wonderful, thank you for the heads up! I will definitely get myself a copy.

[OSoSwift]

What a fantastic idea.

I think the thing I have seen most down here is people are quite happily buying and ordering puppies via small or large petshops and think these puppies come from someones home. They have no idea where most are sourced from.

When you have it done/getting televised make sure you let us know.

Lots and lots of good luck

[kmaci]

Dont forget the health problems. A friend of mine brought 2 maltese x shihtzu's from pet shop. One has a massive underbite and they need to brush her teeth everyday with a toothbrush

good luck!

[BJean]

Yes puppy farms is the current legislative barrow atm

and really we just cant get enough anti puppy farm material.

Perhaps your doco can go hand in hand with the RSPCA puppy farm legislation -

and then when that goes through maybe there will be no more puppy farms ...

Personally I think an investigative documentary following pups into their new homes

and why some pups end up pts, surrendered to the pound or rehomed;

maybe interviewing people who no longer want their dogs,

would be more confronting, insightful and original.

Edited July 31, 2010 by lilli

[Moselle]

Dont forget the health problems. A friend of mine brought 2 maltese x shihtzu's from pet shop. One has a massive underbite and they need to brush her teeth everyday with a toothbrush

good luck!

Just wanted to say that it would be a great idea to get this doco running, good for you.

As for the comment on the maltese x shih tzu's underbite, that is a typical shih tzu characteristics, lol. I dont see why that would require brushing of its teeth every single day.

I do find it quite entertaining when xbreeds that happen to share exactly the same characteristics as the purebreds tend to be criticised yet the purebreds seem to escape criticism, lol. Sounds a tad hypocritical to me.

Edited July 31, 2010 by Moselle

[Stitch]

A documentary that was factual and not emotive would be interesting.

I would be very concerned however that us registered and ethical purebred dog breeders may run the risk of being lumped together with the puppy farmers in the eyes of the uninformed.

Before you join up with Animal Liberation I would suggest that you research exactly what their aims and beliefs are when it comes to keeping and breeding dogs.

Just so that you go into it with all the facts.

[BJean]

I would be very concerned however that us registered and ethical purebred dog breeders may run the risk of being lumped together with the puppy farmers in the eyes of the uninformed.

oh dont worry Stitch, once all breeders have our licenses and concreted production lines,

we'll all be homogenised, regulated and authenticated

and legitimate in the eyes of the uninformed

[melzawelza]

Thanks for the kind words everyone!!

What a fantastic idea.

I think the thing I have seen most down here is people are quite happily buying and ordering puppies via small or large petshops and think these puppies come from someones home. They have no idea where most are sourced from.

When you have it done/getting televised make sure you let us know.

Lots and lots of good luck

This is a great point - back in the day pet shop dogs would most likely be an accidental litter or a byb. I think a lot of people still believe that this is the case. Shedding light on the fact that the odds say their puppy was raised in a cage may get people to think twice.

I think a point that should be made too is how EXPENSIVE pet shop puppies are these days. I think a lot of people see pet shop dogs for $1500 and think that pedigrees would have to be twice that by now. The reality is the majority of pedigrees are cheaper than the oodles in the pet shop!

Dont forget the health problems. A friend of mine brought 2 maltese x shihtzu's from pet shop. One has a massive underbite and they need to brush her teeth everyday with a toothbrush

good luck!

-Defintely- will address the health problems! And hopefully juxtapose that with all that ethical breeders do to ensure that those problems stay out of their puppies.

Yes puppy farms is the current legislative barrow atm

and really we just cant get enough anti puppy farm material.

Perhaps your doco can go hand in hand with the RSPCA puppy farm legislation -

and then when that goes through maybe there will be no more puppy farms ...

Personally I think an investigative documentary following pups into their new homes

and why some pups end up pts, surrendered to the pound or rehomed;

maybe interviewing people who no longer want their dogs,

would be more confronting, insightful and original.

Love the idea of interviewing people that no longer want their dogs, and following pups through their 'journey'.

A documentary that was factual and not emotive would be interesting.

I would be very concerned however that us registered and ethical purebred dog breeders may run the risk of being lumped together with the puppy farmers in the eyes of the uninformed.

Before you join up with Animal Liberation I would suggest that you research exactly what their aims and beliefs are when it comes to keeping and breeding dogs.

Just so that you go into it with all the facts.

I definitely would not be aiming to lump registered ethical breeders in with the puppy farmers. I would be looking to juxtapose the quality of life for puppy farmed dogs with the quality of life of pups bred by ethical breeders.

I would ideally like to interview some breeders should they like to be involved, show the thought and love that goes into breeding good quality dogs - the COST to the breeder (juxtaposed against the amount of money the puppy farmers make). Maybe interview some of that breeder's puppy buyers - some with young dogs some with old dogs- to show the relationship that can be built with a good breeder and the support received.

I am of the belief of most on this forum - that the only ethical way to source a dog is through an ethical registered breeder or rescue.

I agree that I would like it to be factual rather than emotional. There are enough facts when it comes to puppy farms that you don't need to use emotions to get the point across.

[biker girl]

Good luck Melzawelza with your venture.........a doco on WHERE pet shop puppies come from would be an eye opener for the "average" joe bloggs

I'm sure the average puppy buyer from a petshop thinks puppy farm as a "warm cuddly" place where puppies frolic in green grass.

As before mentioned pictures speak louder than words, however audio of the pups would be just as devestating & effective on the senses.

[Pointees]

Interview a vet - they can explain what they have seen.

[OSoSwift]

As for the comment on the maltese x shih tzu's underbite, that is a typical shih tzu characteristics, lol. I dont see why that would require brushing of its teeth every single day

A massive underbite is NOT a feature of the Shihtzu

Breed standard - Wide, slightly undershot or level. Lips level.

That is not a massive underbite, the teeth by my understanding are undershot, the the teeth still overlap each other and do not have a huge gap.

Edited July 31, 2010 by Rommi n Lewis

[Christina]

A documentary that was factual and not emotive would be interesting.

Before you join up with Animal Liberation I would suggest that you research exactly what their aims and beliefs are when it comes to keeping and breeding dogs.

Just so that you go into it with all the facts.

I emailed Animal Liberation re their work about the puppy farms. Said I was a registered breeder but had not been a member in this country, only overseas over 30 years ago.

Got a nice reply saying they were not against registered breeders in general.

Factual & correct is a must for any documentary but people respond more with emotion than reason.

Which is why they still buy from pet shops, it was so cute, or crappy puppy places, I felt I was saving it.

People still see better than they think. Sad.

[Souff]

Yes puppy farms is the current legislative barrow atm

and really we just cant get enough anti puppy farm material.

Perhaps your doco can go hand in hand with the RSPCA puppy farm legislation -

and then when that goes through maybe there will be no more puppy farms ...

Personally I think an investigative documentary following pups into their new homes

and why some pups end up pts, surrendered to the pound or rehomed;

maybe interviewing people who no longer want their dogs,

would be more confronting, insightful and original.

Totally agree Lilli. There is probably enough footage about puppy mills/puppy farms to wrap around the whole of Tasmania, but how much footage is there of the people who are surrendering their no longer wanted pet dog to the pound?

Zip.

Too emotional. Too hard.

Cant have people asking "Why are you leaving your dog here today?" much less filming at that time.

Not nice, Lilli, not nice.

Souff

[Mim]

Sorry I haven't read the whole thread if this has already been suggested. You could interview some pound/rescue people. So many people I've talked to about puppy farms think that the 'designer' breeds don't end up in pounds.

One reason being that so many of the dogs produced by puppy farms are sold as "allergy free, hypoallergenic, low-allergy etc" and how when they grow up and aren't suitable for allergy sufferers, they are then rehomed or surrendered to the pound.

Another idea is to interview dog trainers and behaviourists. I am sure they have seen plenty of unstable dogs produced by puppy farms or dogs who are too much/totally unsuitable for their owners. Could talk about how puppy farmers are just breeding on mass for money so there is no regard for temperament and then the results of that.

It would definitely have an impact on viewers if it was possible to interview somebody who bought a pup on impulse and now has an unhealthy dog or one with mental/temperament issues etc. I know there are DOLers who have bought from petshops without knowing any better so perhaps somebody on here would be suitable to interview.

ETA just read some other posts. Instead of interviewing people giving up pets, as I do not think you would find many willing participants, you could just follow a few pound dogs and get their story. Eg. "Fido was surrendered to the pound because he isn't cute anymore", you could get the reason of surrender from the paperwork (I think?) and that would replace the interview where previous owners say the same thing. I think following the journeys of a few dogs would be great and another way to really get the viewers to respond as they will sympathize with the dog.

Edited July 31, 2010 by Mim

[Dory the Doted One]

Ummm....for fear of getting into big trouble on a Purebreed Forum.....

Is it going to be a Pro Ethical and Registered Breeder Doco? Or a Anti Puppy Farm Doco?

What about the other sources you can get a dog/puppy from?

Horror of Horrors...there ARE a lot of people who have NO interest in purchasing a pedigree puppy. But just want a dog or puppy that is a unique individual...ie...Muttley or Heinz Variety. And not all of these people are uneducated, joe public, nit wits...they geniunely have no interest in a purebred or pedigreed dog. And are content to research home breeders who may have one litter only from their bitch and do all the right things just as a ethical breeder would do....aside from breeding to a specific breed standard or from pedigreed/purebred parents. (And I'm not refering to boneheaded twits who are give their cross breed litters stoopid hybrid names like Spanador or Flopsimoppets)

:laugh: As I know this is not a popular view.

[melzawelza]

No, I definitely agree with you , which is why I will be focusing mostly on ETHICAL breeders over what kind of dogs they breed.

I will definitely be showing pedigree breeders as lets be honest, they are the ones who are usually doing the right thing, but the point will be made of WHAT to look for in a breeder re health testing and everything else that pedigree breeders do. If there's a backyarder out there who is doing everything that a pedigree breeder does then in my opinion they are an ethical breeder. I don't have anything against crosses in themselves, in fact I love 'em- but what I dont like is the WAY most of them are bred.

I think if I show pedigree breeders ONLY and am too heavy handed with that point it runs the risk of what you said- feeling like a pro pedigree doco as opposed to an anti puppy farm, and that isn't what I want. I do want to show them in a positive light though to hopefully sway the idea a lot of people have that pedigree dogs are only for people that show. I will however be showing rescue as a big alternative for people who want a heinz (althought not all people want a rescue either)

Sorry I haven't read the whole thread if this has already been suggested. You could interview some pound/rescue people. So many people I've talked to about puppy farms think that the 'designer' breeds don't end up in pounds.

One reason being that so many of the dogs produced by puppy farms are sold as "allergy free, hypoallergenic, low-allergy etc" and how when they grow up and aren't suitable for allergy sufferers, they are then rehomed or surrendered to the pound.

Another idea is to interview dog trainers and behaviourists. I am sure they have seen plenty of unstable dogs produced by puppy farms or dogs who are too much/totally unsuitable for their owners. Could talk about how puppy farmers are just breeding on mass for money so there is no regard for temperament and then the results of that.

It would definitely have an impact on viewers if it was possible to interview somebody who bought a pup on impulse and now has an unhealthy dog or one with mental/temperament issues etc. I know there are DOLers who have bought from petshops without knowing any better so perhaps somebody on here would be suitable to interview.

ETA just read some other posts. Instead of interviewing people giving up pets, as I do not think you would find many willing participants, you could just follow a few pound dogs and get their story. Eg. "Fido was surrendered to the pound because he isn't cute anymore", you could get the reason of surrender from the paperwork (I think?) and that would replace the interview where previous owners say the same thing. I think following the journeys of a few dogs would be great and another way to really get the viewers to respond as they will sympathize with the dog.

Thanks for this great post. I see first hand just working as a basic obedience trainer the issues puppy farmed dogs can had (Had a little oodle girl last week that would toilet in her bed and sleep in it, and completely freak out if put into a small space or a crate, poor little mite). Inteviewing some trainers and behaviourists would be great.

And yes, it's true how most people are saying it would be hard to get willing participants to interview that were surrendering their dogs. I like your idea of following a few that have information from their surrender sheets.

We could possibly also use the visuals of allll the rehoming ads on gumtree. Cut a bunch of shots of them together, focusing on the most common reasons ("we're moving", "we want someone who can take him for walks", "we have kids now so don't have time for him anymore"). There are SO MANY dogs listed on there every day - we could go through the listing and count how many rehomings on one website in one day, and list that number.

Edited July 31, 2010 by melzawelza