Is It Illegal To Sell Pups Under 8 Weeks?

[Atanquin]

Hey guys I went to Brisbane today and saw a pet shop with puppies so I thought yer they are cute and one of the girls came over and started talking to me so I asked how much they where and they where $600 sobi thought I would ask how old they where and she said 7 weeks and they got them last week. Now I can't find anywhere that says if it is or isn't illegal to sell pups that young so just wondering if someone knew thanks:)

[Guest Ams]

AFAIK it is illegal for a pet shop to sell pups under the age of 8 weeks, however it is not unlawful for them to advertise them as being available once they reach 8 weeks of age.

[tdierikx]

I'm pretty sure in most states the pups must be 8 weeks minimum - with first puppy vaccs at 6 weeks...

T.

[Atanquin]

Oh okay well she asked me which one I would like then I told her I was just looking for now so might send them and email telling them thanks for letting me know guys

[Blonde_Phoenix]

I'm not sure it is actually 'illegal', I had a quick look though the legislation and I can find anywhere it specifically requires that a puppy must be 8 weeks old before it can be sold in a petshop in Brisbane (I only had a quick look so I could very well have missed it).

The closest thing I could come up with was from the 'Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008':

Division 1 Obligation on supplier or owner of cat or dog

13 Supplier must ensure cat or dog is implanted

(1) A person must not, unless the person has a reasonable excuse, supply a cat or dog to anyone else if it is not implanted with a PID.

Note—

For requirements about implanting a PPID in a cat or dog that is less than 8 weeks old, see section 24 (Age restriction for implanting PPID).

24 Age restriction for implanting PPID

(1) An authorised implanter must not implant a PPID in a cat or dog that is less than 8 weeks old, unless—

(a) the implanter has a reasonable excuse; or

(b) the implanter is a veterinary surgeon who considers implanting the PPID is not likely to be a serious risk to the health of the cat or dog; or

© there is a signed veterinary surgeon’s certificate for the cat or dog stating that implanting the PPID when it is

less than 8 weeks old is not likely to be a serious risk to the health of the cat or dog.

The only condition on petshops remotely close from the BCC was

a dog must not be sold unless it has been fully vacinated appropriate to its age

Interesting

[Greytmate]

Yes, in QLD it's a guideline, not a law.

The reason dogs are allowed to be implanted before 8 weeks is so that they can be sold at 8 weeks.

[Atanquin]

Oh well I sent them a email saying I was disappointed and explained why it was important for a pup to stay with its mum untill 8 week and that thy should print it up and display it for people to read because they may not know oh well I hope they listen at least I have tried

[Guest Arcane]

I read through the code of practice for pet shops in SA (posted by another DOL member in the 'Filthy Pet Shop' thread thismorning, and it clearly stated "puppies & kittens must not be sold before they reach 7 weeks old'. It also had 2 other points in the age section stating all animals must be weaned before homing or unless the facility they were going to had adequate facility to care for unweaned animals. And that all animals sold must be able to independently sustain themselves.

[~Anne~]

All states are different. I think Tas is still actually offering 6 weeks as the gernal rule although this may have been updated. Most states only have guidelines on ages, not law.

[Gayle.]

Oh well I sent them a email saying I was disappointed and explained why it was important for a pup to stay with its mum untill 8 week and that thy should print it up and display it for people to read because they may not know oh well I hope they listen at least I have tried

More than likely it was separated from it's mum by about 4 weeks so she'd come back into season quicker so they could breed another litter with her.

[Steve]

The latest science tells us its better for a pup to go to a new home at 7 weeks and breeders usually sold their puppies at 6 weeks until about 20 years ago. The reason the state CCs put regs on was because back then the manufacturers of the vaccines told us we needed 14 days for the vacs to cut in. It had nothing to do with what was best for the pups or the Mothers but about immunity. The new vaccines only require a couple of days and I believe that recently in Victoria it has been agreed that puppies will be able to go to new homes at 7 weeks and this will be written up replacing 8 weeks in mandatory codes. Of course that was determined by vets and breeders but since then animal rights has had a winge so it may be stopped. most breeders these days wait a bit longer than 6 weeks any way to vaccinate them.

if they are sitting in a pet shop at 7 weeks Id prefer them to go to a new home now than have to sit there with little socialisation and love for another week just to make some statement which as I say has been proven is not necessarily based on science or what is best for the pup anyway.

There are many things which have become accepted in this country regarding management of breeding dogs and puppies which have been pushed by animal rights which bring results which are detrimental to the dogs and puppies rather than what is best for them and hopefully slowly things may change if mandatory codes and laws are based on fact and proven science rather than what has become accepted with no basis.

[BC Crazy]

I am not sure of the rules. I am pretty sure they differ from state to state just to really confuse the important issue. I just feel so damm sorry for these poor littley's & any others

like them. They sooo need their mum.

[jacqui835]

Oh well I sent them a email saying I was disappointed and explained why it was important for a pup to stay with its mum untill 8 week and that thy should print it up and display it for people to read because they may not know oh well I hope they listen at least I have tried

More than likely it was separated from it's mum by about 4 weeks so she'd come back into season quicker so they could breed another litter with her.

Very sad

[tdierikx]

I must say that the nine 4 week old crossbreed pups our rescue got from a pound were the easiest fosters I've ever had. At 4 weeks they are just working out their environment and learning all sorts of things really fast - introducing toys and lots of gentle handling (read cuddles), teaching them to be touched and manipulated all over, etc... those pups were the most even tempered and socially confident pups I've had the pleasure of fostering... and all of their new families are totally chuffed with their happy and friendly new little members. We rehomed them at 9-10 weeks by the way.

Some older pups have learned undesirable behaviours from my experience - and that means much more work getting them back to being socially confident.

T.

[lappiemum]

The latest science tells us its better for a pup to go to a new home at 7 weeks and breeders usually sold their puppies at 6 weeks until about 20 years ago. The reason the state CCs put regs on was because back then the manufacturers of the vaccines told us we needed 14 days for the vacs to cut in. It had nothing to do with what was best for the pups or the Mothers but about immunity. The new vaccines only require a couple of days and I believe that recently in Victoria it has been agreed that puppies will be able to go to new homes at 7 weeks and this will be written up replacing 8 weeks in mandatory codes. Of course that was determined by vets and breeders but since then animal rights has had a winge so it may be stopped. most breeders these days wait a bit longer than 6 weeks any way to vaccinate them.

if they are sitting in a pet shop at 7 weeks Id prefer them to go to a new home now than have to sit there with little socialisation and love for another week just to make some statement which as I say has been proven is not necessarily based on science or what is best for the pup anyway.

There are many things which have become accepted in this country regarding management of breeding dogs and puppies which have been pushed by animal rights which bring results which are detrimental to the dogs and puppies rather than what is best for them and hopefully slowly things may change if mandatory codes and laws are based on fact and proven science rather than what has become accepted with no basis.

I'd be interested in those citations Steve.

[Steve]

The latest science tells us its better for a pup to go to a new home at 7 weeks and breeders usually sold their puppies at 6 weeks until about 20 years ago. The reason the state CCs put regs on was because back then the manufacturers of the vaccines told us we needed 14 days for the vacs to cut in. It had nothing to do with what was best for the pups or the Mothers but about immunity. The new vaccines only require a couple of days and I believe that recently in Victoria it has been agreed that puppies will be able to go to new homes at 7 weeks and this will be written up replacing 8 weeks in mandatory codes. Of course that was determined by vets and breeders but since then animal rights has had a winge so it may be stopped. most breeders these days wait a bit longer than 6 weeks any way to vaccinate them.

if they are sitting in a pet shop at 7 weeks Id prefer them to go to a new home now than have to sit there with little socialisation and love for another week just to make some statement which as I say has been proven is not necessarily based on science or what is best for the pup anyway.

There are many things which have become accepted in this country regarding management of breeding dogs and puppies which have been pushed by animal rights which bring results which are detrimental to the dogs and puppies rather than what is best for them and hopefully slowly things may change if mandatory codes and laws are based on fact and proven science rather than what has become accepted with no basis.

I'd be interested in those citations Steve.

Go to google - its every where. We have known its better to have puppies away from their Mums and moving out at 7 weeks for decades. Pre 7 weeks they need the socialisation of the litter and Mum to help them to learn about how to be a dog and get on with other dogs but 7 plus weeks they are good to go. We have been restricted in that because of the initial vaccination protocols - not because anyone thought it was better for the puppy or the family as far as settling in and socialisation with humans and training is concerned.

[Guest donatella]

That's interesting re the 7 week pups. I know with some smaller dogs breeders keep them until 12 weeks sometimes which I think is OTT

[kitkatswing]

We picked up ours at 7 weeks old. I couldnt imagine getting him any later on, he bonded so much with us during the next couple of weeks and even learnt basic commands by the time he was 9 weeks (could sit, shake and beg)

[Steve]

That's interesting re the 7 week pups. I know with some smaller dogs breeders keep them until 12 weeks sometimes which I think is OTT

the probelm is we have become educated by animal rights which in my opinion impedes our ability to go looking for what really is best for our breeds and our dogs rather than simply assume it is the right thing based on what everyone else thinks. especially when no one can really say why they think except that its what everyone else thinks.

Fact is puppies dont need their Mum at 7 weeks and we need to stop behaving like sheep and assuming the current beliefs and regs etc shouldnt be challenged. If in fact our only motive is to have the best outcome for the dogs we should take a closer look at what we think and why we think it.

By the way in case Im accused of in consistency - I am against puppies being sold in pet shops but if we dont get it right and give valid reasons which are not so easily dispelled no one is listening.

[tdierikx]

I agree with Steve - most pups are quite self sufficient by 7 weeks of age, and most would be just fine going to their new families at that age...

It comes down to the pups themselves most of the time - some of the smaller breeds seem to be coddled by their mums for longer and thus still can be reliant on her until she tells them to rack off... *grin*

Seeing a few litters now through rescue, I've noticed that the ones whose mothers seem to have a less "caring" attitude to the pups seem to mature and become more self sufficient faster. The ones whose mothers are always checking them and cleaning and feeding them fastidiously are much less likely to take to new experiences like solids, toys, etc until they are older.

T.