Australia's Puppy Export Shame

[Steve]

Yep minimum 12 weeks - Hardly likely to import a puppy to a pet shop after its 12 weeks old - sounds like crap to me.

[mita]

Sheer accident. Googling 'puppy farms Singapore.' This one example, came up. I'm not suggesting it's the standard!!! It sure deals in animals in commercially viable numbers. They also provide dog boarding & host 'pet parties'.

Doesn't say where the puppies/kittens are sourced from.

http://www.ericssonpetfarm.com/

Edited September 16, 2013 by mita

[Steve]

Sheer accident. Googling 'puppy farms Singapore.' This one example, came up. I'm not suggesting it's the standard! It sure deals in animals in commercially viable numbers.

Doesn't say where the puppies/kittens are sourced from.

http://www.ericssonpetfarm.com/

Geez - dont know what to say about that ,

[mita]

I'm a bit speechless myself! So over to the bloke that's developed it, with his stern word to prospective pet buyers

Do your HOMEWORK before you decide on a pet

Consult your "EXPERT" before you buy

ASK us about the pet you want as We have the TIME for you

We RECOMMEND the petfood & products for your consideration

Pets are not TOYS, pets are NOT made, pets are BORN

We sell you a LOVING pet for you to love and care for

A pet that gives you unconditional LOVE

A pet is not an ASSET to be disposed as you like

Pets are NOT for X'mas and gifts

Having a pet is not about WHO you are

How much MONEY or LAND you have

It is about your TIME, LOVE, COMMITMENT & RESPONSIBILITY

Before you buy, the pet is mine

After the sale, the pet is yours for Life!!!!

[ann21]

I am a Singaporean and I don't know if its been mentioned- but I would say 99% of the puppies here come from puppy farms, bybs or dogs imported from puppy mills in Australia. Dogs imported from Australia are charged with a premium and in general are perceived to be of a "better quality" than local ones. If I hadn't lived in Australia or discovered dol I might have bought into that. It's really next to impossible to get a pup from an ethical breeder here. First off, we do not have as many vet specialists to do genetic tests, hip scores etc, second, 80% of Singaporeans live in public government housing, and the rules only allow you to own one small (under 10kg) dog. Even with private housing the max no of dogs you can have is 3 I believe. And third, we are a long way off in our standards for dog welfare. The majority of families have both the mother and father working, and most of the time it is up to the maid to take care of the dog. Now I'm not saying there aren't good dog owners here, I consider myself a "good" dog owner and I've met others. We've also had alot of expats come in recent years and a number get dogs from registered breeders overseas. So while I think things are improving, we still have a long way to go.

[Aphra]

This CNN report from 2010 suggests that one puppy farm accounts for 98% of puppies in Singapore pets stores: http://travel.cnn.com/singapore/puppy-mills-pet-store-337803

Poor, pitiful creatures, but it looks as if there are a number of groups making an effort to stop the trade.

[ann21]

Found some additional information about puppy 'mills' in Singapore. Seems there's a campaign against such places, by Singaporeans themselves. Info on link. Gives news that an operator of such a place was fined. Also mentions that the Singapore AVA is introducing some controls.

http://www.catwelfare.org/node/3973

So, even tho' there may well be a problem facing unsold puppies from Australia, it's not fair to write Singapore off, entirely, as a place with 'squalid' pet shops.... nor where the people & the authorities don't care.

I agree. I think what is lacking here is education. Ideally if more people knew where puppies in pet shops came from, less would buy from them. The problem is we do not have an ethical alternative here (save from rescue), so if you are really serious about not supporting puppy mils and want a purebred, the next best thing would be to suss out a registered breeder overseas.

[Dogsfevr]

I have actually been to that place in 97 not surprised i saw good & bad .

I also saw the puppies in pet shops but the xport laws where different back then

[sandgrubber]

Economists recognize a "Law of Competitive Advantage". This says that goods will tend to flow from regions where they are cheap to produce to regions where they are expensive to produce.

With pups costing thousands of dollars more in Singapore--basically because both land and meat products/byproducts are expensive there--there is high market pressure for Singapore buyers to seek pups from Australia. The fact that Australia is rabies free, and thus easy from a quarantine standard, increases this pressure.

I see nothing wrong with pups moving from Australia to Singapore. But with the magnitude of the price difference, there is ample opportunity to insist on regulations / quality control. Governments aren't great at this. But the result is often much better than giving the free market free reign.

[Ranger00]

Thanks everyone, this has spurred me to look into OL much further, I appreciate your responses. You know the saying, ignorance is bliss. I'd rather be well informed and hate the truth than be blissfully ignorant!

[Steve]

O.K. I take it back - would appear there is actually some Aussie purebred breeders who are exporting to pet shops in Singapore and their establishments are not in real good shape. One in particular is located in Victoria - puppy farmer heaven - sending approx 20 to 30 per month.

[periannath]

you may also want to look at the ACT journals.I was a member a few years back and the number of entire litters of all different breeds leaving the country was pretty damn appalling.No longer a member there so don't know if it is still happening.

Edited September 25, 2013 by periannath

[dragonwoman]

you may also want to look at the ACT journals.I was a member a few years back and the number of entire litters of all different breeds leaving the country was pretty damn appalling.No longer a member there so don't know if it is still happening.

Has not happened for several years because main importer stopped doing it Curious about Victorian purebred breeder allegedly exporting big numbers...............the number of export permits granted monthly by Dogs Victoria is quite small, often less than 10 a month.............of course these alleged purebred exports may not be ANKC registered dogs at all ...................

[Steve]

you may also want to look at the ACT journals.I was a member a few years back and the number of entire litters of all different breeds leaving the country was pretty damn appalling.No longer a member there so don't know if it is still happening.

Has not happened for several years because main importer stopped doing it Curious about Victorian purebred breeder allegedly exporting big numbers...............the number of export permits granted monthly by Dogs Victoria is quite small, often less than 10 a month.............of course these alleged purebred exports may not be ANKC registered dogs at all ...................

They are simply leaving with or without a registered pedigree and not an export certificate. Only those registries in countries who have cut deals and are part of the FCI care about export certificates handed out via the ANKC and someone wanting a pet isnt interested anyway in whether the dog has been transferred to them on the Australian registry. AQIS dont require an ANKC export certificate issued by the ANKC to move a dog.If you think Vicdog breeders are only breeding ANKC registered dogs thats not true either. Many are Vicdogs members and dont own a registered dog and have never registered a litter - prime example is one very high profile commercial breeder who has been a Vicdogs members for over a decade and produces a constant supply of pet puppies purebred but not registered] and has never once registered a litter.

[Trisven13]

Interestingly I was told by Dogs NSW that I was in breach of my obligations if I exported a dog that wasn't on Main Register as all exports MUST be on Main Register. I had a pup going to what was only ever going to be a pet home and her registration paperwork was on Limited Register as a result - to export her she had to be upgraded.

[Steve]

Interestingly I was told by Dogs NSW that I was in breach of my obligations if I exported a dog that wasn't on Main Register as all exports MUST be on Main Register. I had a pup going to what was only ever going to be a pet home and her registration paperwork was on Limited Register as a result - to export her she had to be upgraded.

If you sell a puppy to someone on limited register and they take it overseas how does Dogs NSW or you know about that or control that ? The idea that everyone who owns or breeds dogs that go into other countries as pets HAVING to have an export certificate issued by a CC is wishful thinking. Bit like what comes first really isnt it? Is it me exporting it if Ive sold it to someone who lives overseas or is it them? This is how they beat the CC ruling that pups have to be 12 weeks before export .When McDougall was still around the breeders were selling pups to the PIAA agent and then the new owner exported them at 8 weeks.

[dragonwoman]

you may also want to look at the ACT journals.I was a member a few years back and the number of entire litters of all different breeds leaving the country was pretty damn appalling.No longer a member there so don't know if it is still happening.

Has not happened for several years because main importer stopped doing it Curious about Victorian purebred breeder allegedly exporting big numbers...............the number of export permits granted monthly by Dogs Victoria is quite small, often less than 10 a month.............of course these alleged purebred exports may not be ANKC registered dogs at all ...................

They are simply leaving with or without a registered pedigree and not an export certificate. Only those registries in countries who have cut deals and are part of the FCI care about export certificates handed out via the ANKC and someone wanting a pet isnt interested anyway in whether the dog has been transferred to them on the Australian registry. AQIS dont require an ANKC export certificate issued by the ANKC to move a dog.If you think Vicdog breeders are only breeding ANKC registered dogs thats not true either. Many are Vicdogs members and dont own a registered dog and have never registered a litter - prime example is one very high profile commercial breeder who has been a Vicdogs members for over a decade and produces a constant supply of pet puppies purebred but not registered] and has never once registered a litter.

Am aware of the issues but it is still legal to breed and/or export dogs in Australia. Think you misunderstood my intent but not to worry.

[Steve]

you may also want to look at the ACT journals.I was a member a few years back and the number of entire litters of all different breeds leaving the country was pretty damn appalling.No longer a member there so don't know if it is still happening.

Has not happened for several years because main importer stopped doing it Curious about Victorian purebred breeder allegedly exporting big numbers...............the number of export permits granted monthly by Dogs Victoria is quite small, often less than 10 a month.............of course these alleged purebred exports may not be ANKC registered dogs at all ...................

They are simply leaving with or without a registered pedigree and not an export certificate. Only those registries in countries who have cut deals and are part of the FCI care about export certificates handed out via the ANKC and someone wanting a pet isnt interested anyway in whether the dog has been transferred to them on the Australian registry. AQIS dont require an ANKC export certificate issued by the ANKC to move a dog.If you think Vicdog breeders are only breeding ANKC registered dogs thats not true either. Many are Vicdogs members and dont own a registered dog and have never registered a litter - prime example is one very high profile commercial breeder who has been a Vicdogs members for over a decade and produces a constant supply of pet puppies purebred but not registered] and has never once registered a litter.

Am aware of the issues but it is still legal to breed and/or export dogs in Australia. Think you misunderstood my intent but not to worry.

Sorry Dragonwoman hope you dont think I was having a go at you - definitely wasnt .I agree with you that we should challenge what the truth of it all is and because of where the original report came from Ive no doubt it is sensationalised and exaggerated but the breeder I have spotted is definitely Vicdogs - whether they are actually registering these pups before they send them over there Im unaware of - hard to understand why they would do it to be honest unless the money they are getting per pup is way,way over what they would get here. None of it makes sense to me .When it was all going on with Mcdougall I sort of understood why it was happening especially as it was endorsed by the CCs but this is different and needs further investigation for me to understand why this appeals to them- and whether they register them etc.

No point in yelling about the shame of it - its a free country and unlikely to stop anything - just generates more publicity and more donations for Oscars Law and the like but now Im curious about what the reward is for a breeder doing this - why they see this as preferable to simply selling pets in Australia.That to me may lead us to being able to find a path to making it less attractive.

Bit more going on too I think and animal transport companies need to be looked at too. Last time I looked 12 week old Lab puppies didnt fit in the palm of a large hand - wouldn't surprise me if they were going out with incorrect dates of birth on them. Need to follow the money.