Rspca 'shocked' At Changes To New Dog Breeding Code

[silentchild]

The RSPCA has accused the State Government of weakening the new dog breeding code which has been under negotiation for the past two years.

Breeding dogs would only be allowed to have a maximum of five litters before being retired under the new code.

The aim is to shut down puppy farms, where dogs are forced to continue to breed with little regard for the animal's welfare.

The code also stipulated that the dogs must be checked by a vet before and after each litter.

The code has now been changed so dogs may continue to be used for breeding if they have a certificate from a vet.

The RSPCA's chief executive Maria Mercurio says they had no warning of the change.

To take away that limit on the number of litters a breeding bitch can have just undermines the whole intent of the code

Maria Mercurio, RSPCA chief executive

"I guess to say we're shocked and disappointed is an understatement," she said.

"We got notification of this change on Friday afternoon, the day the code comes into effect.

"We have been working with the Government on this code for some two years so when we saw what was to be the final draft, that was not what was included."

Agriculture Minister Peter Walsh denies the code has been weakened.

"The code is one of the most comprehensive and prescriptive codes of its kind in the world and there are hefty and significant fines for people who don't comply," he said.

"We've banned wire floor cages.

"We've put in place a minimum of 30 minutes exercise twice a day, mandatory veterinary checks at least once a year, socialisation requirements and we've got nutritional requirements and we've got additional record keeping as well."

Ms Mercurio says they had hoped that a good strong code would wipe out puppy farms.

"That door was shut and now the Government has opened it again," she said.

"To take away that limit on the number of litters a breeding bitch can have just undermines the whole intent of the code.

"To say that the safeguard is to have a vet check is just ridiculous, it's laughable."

Premier Denis Napthine, who is also a vet, has also defended the change saying the new code is still an improvement.

"Many stakeholders were engaged and modifications were made," he said.

"Let me make it very clear, the new rules are significantly tougher than anything we've seen in Victoria before."

Source : http://www.abc.net.a...ng-code/5390386

[dragonwoman]

The RSPCA has accused the State Government of weakening the new dog breeding code which has been under negotiation for the past two years.

Breeding dogs would only be allowed to have a maximum of five litters before being retired under the new code.

The aim is to shut down puppy farms, where dogs are forced to continue to breed with little regard for the animal's welfare.

The code also stipulated that the dogs must be checked by a vet before and after each litter.

The code has now been changed so dogs may continue to be used for breeding if they have a certificate from a vet.

The RSPCA's chief executive Maria Mercurio says they had no warning of the change.

To take away that limit on the number of litters a breeding bitch can have just undermines the whole intent of the code

Maria Mercurio, RSPCA chief executive

"I guess to say we're shocked and disappointed is an understatement," she said.

"We got notification of this change on Friday afternoon, the day the code comes into effect.

"We have been working with the Government on this code for some two years so when we saw what was to be the final draft, that was not what was included."

Agriculture Minister Peter Walsh denies the code has been weakened.

"The code is one of the most comprehensive and prescriptive codes of its kind in the world and there are hefty and significant fines for people who don't comply," he said.

"We've banned wire floor cages.

"We've put in place a minimum of 30 minutes exercise twice a day, mandatory veterinary checks at least once a year, socialisation requirements and we've got nutritional requirements and we've got additional record keeping as well."

Ms Mercurio says they had hoped that a good strong code would wipe out puppy farms.

"That door was shut and now the Government has opened it again," she said.

"To take away that limit on the number of litters a breeding bitch can have just undermines the whole intent of the code.

"To say that the safeguard is to have a vet check is just ridiculous, it's laughable."

Premier Denis Napthine, who is also a vet, has also defended the change saying the new code is still an improvement.

"Many stakeholders were engaged and modifications were made," he said.

"Let me make it very clear, the new rules are significantly tougher than anything we've seen in Victoria before."

Source : http://www.abc.net.a...ng-code/5390386

Money talks

[Little Gifts]

All I was thinking is that the people doing the right thing will just continue to be over monitored and penalised. No-one has any idea exactly how many litters puppy farm and BYB dogs are having now because they don't interact with the current monitoring systems or get regular vet care for their dogs, so they will continue to be back door operations, hiding litters or lying on whatever paperwork they do. No-one probably even knows how many breeding bitches are even on each farm or with each BYB, so again, there will be hiding of litters. Some of these breeding dogs have no paper trail and have never seen a vet. How will that change? The breeders who do the right thing and register their dogs and advertise their litters will be the ones most impacted.

After two years of planning it just feels like they are still missing the mark.

[mita]

Having read about this Victorian code on breeding, in previous threads ... my opinion was that it's about serving a business model, not an animal welfare model.. I was appalled by some of the guidelines in that code.... this is just one more.. There were rearing practices allowed that fly in the face of research. I remember remarking that they even ignored the findings in one of the papers listed in their own References....

Doesn't surprise me that they've failed to consult with the RSPCA Vic on this proposed change re number of litters. Why would they consult with an animal welfare body when their purpose is to facilitate profitable 'businesses'? They've made puppy farming practices 'respectable' in Victoria by embracing them in the law.

Edited April 15, 2014 by mita

[tdierikx]

"Many stakeholders were engaged and modifications were made,"

Stakeholders include the pet market suppliers... and they have a very loud voice in decisions like this... *sigh*

T.

[sandgrubber]

Unfortunately,'stakeholders' with the biggest financial stake are the most likely to make it into the meetings where the real decision making takes place.

[indigirl]

Is this code mow I'm force nation wide?

Now do they propose to check if each bitch has seen a vet before and after whelping?

[The Spotted Devil]

CoP are state based so Vic only and only for breeders with 3 or more fertile bitches or 10 or more if registered with ANKC or GCCFV/FCCV (cat equivalent).

[HappyCamper]

"We've put in place a minimum of 30 minutes exercise twice a day, mandatory veterinary checks at least once a year, socialisation requirements and we've got nutritional requirements and we've got additional record keeping as well."

So I assume this is new because when I phoned RSPCA about a rescue that never walked the dogs after I documented how often the dogs got our over a few week period and they said they had no rules on how often a caged dog needed to be walked.

[The Spotted Devil]

"We've put in place a minimum of 30 minutes exercise twice a day, mandatory veterinary checks at least once a year, socialisation requirements and we've got nutritional requirements and we've got additional record keeping as well."

So I assume this is new because when I phoned RSPCA about a rescue that never walked the dogs after I documented how often the dogs got our over a few week period and they said they had no rules on how often a caged dog needed to be walked.

Firstly, it's Vic only. Secondly, it's a breeders CoP. Shelters have a separate CoP.

[HappyCamper]

"We've put in place a minimum of 30 minutes exercise twice a day, mandatory veterinary checks at least once a year, socialisation requirements and we've got nutritional requirements and we've got additional record keeping as well."

So I assume this is new because when I phoned RSPCA about a rescue that never walked the dogs after I documented how often the dogs got our over a few week period and they said they had no rules on how often a caged dog needed to be walked.

Firstly, it's Vic only. Secondly, it's a breeders CoP. Shelters have a separate CoP.

Ah ok thanks for pointing that out.

[silentchild]

Update from the AVA :

The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) is concerned that some of their recommendations on the welfare of breeding animals have been left out by the Victorian Government after the release of gazetted changes to The Code or Practice for the Operation of Breeding and Rearing Businesses last Friday 11 April. President of AVA’s Victorian Division, Dr Trish Stewart said that the AVA was not consulted on the gazetted changes made by Minister Peter Walsh, Minister for Agriculture and Food Security. She says that the AVA does not think the changes adequately protect the welfare of breeding animals.

“With over 20,000 submissions received by the Bureau of Animal Welfare during the consultation period, the Revised Code was applauded by the AVA for its strong focus on animal welfare for breeding animals and the potential for the Code to assist in abolishing "puppy farms".

“In one of the AVA's submissions, it was strongly recommended that pre and post-breeding health examinations of animals be a requirement and this had been included in the Revised Code draft released in December 2013.

“We’re disappointed that it’s been removed from the final Code gazetted by the Minister last week and many of our members have expressed their concern with this omission.

“Without this requirement, it will be extremely difficult for veterinarians to give considered and informed advice and to issue certificates of fitness to breed future litters unless the veterinarian has observed the health of the breeding animal before and after giving birth,” Dr Stewart said.

”We encourage the Minister to reinstate pre and post-breeding veterinary checks to ensure animal welfare is protected,” Dr Stewart said.

Source : http://www.ava.com.au/node/13920

[mita]

Is this code mow I'm force nation wide?

Thanks heavens it's not nation-wide. only Victoria.

They must've updated the daily exercise requirements because what was laid down in the original draft would break the welfare law in my state.

The other weak spot was their grasp of what constitutes socialization. Very superficial 'practices' were set out for socializing puppies ... & if I remember correctly, there were even optional elements about it. You can't be optional about a necessity.

No consideration was given to fact that the socialization of puppies is also connected to the extent of socialization of the mother dogs. Yet they had the research paper which pointed to this, in their References. But seems no one read it or understood it or it was too 'hard'.

Not surprising, then, that both the Australian Veterinary Association & the RSPCA are finding 'welfare' holes in the guidelines. Thanks for that info, silentchild.

[GeckoTree]

Focus on your own ethics, the grubbyment is the grubbyment, they do not serve peoples let alone animals best interests. Animals will suffer as they have done, people will profit from animals misery.

Only individuals can make a stand.

[dragonwoman]

"Many stakeholders were engaged and modifications were made,"

Stakeholders include the pet market suppliers... and they have a very loud voice in decisions like this... *sigh*

T.

And the working dog breeding lobby..................we are in election mode in Victoria....................the promises coming out of the mouths on both sides are amazing..................we won't know which to chose from in November!!

[_PL_]

"We've put in place a minimum of 30 minutes exercise twice a day, mandatory veterinary checks at least once a year, socialisation requirements and we've got nutritional requirements and we've got additional record keeping as well."

So I assume this is new because when I phoned RSPCA about a rescue that never walked the dogs after I documented how often the dogs got our over a few week period and they said they had no rules on how often a caged dog needed to be walked.

NSW code says 10 minutes twice a day is sufficient.

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/livestock/animal-welfare/codes

[denali]

"We've put in place a minimum of 30 minutes exercise twice a day, mandatory veterinary checks at least once a year, socialisation requirements and we've got nutritional requirements and we've got additional record keeping as well."

So I assume this is new because when I phoned RSPCA about a rescue that never walked the dogs after I documented how often the dogs got our over a few week period and they said they had no rules on how often a caged dog needed to be walked.

How on earth are they planning to monitor that?

I doubt any of this will help stop puppy farmers. They already ignore most legislation, what makes this different??