Puppy farming needs to become a thing of the past, a leading Liberal
Democrat and animal welfare campaigner has claimed.
Gateshead Councillor Peter Maughan, who is also chairman of Newcastle
and North Northumberland RSPCA, made the call following a challenge by Lib Dem
peer Kate Parminter in the House of Lords to the government to end puppy
farming. Lady Parminter made the call on Monday 9th November.
“In Gateshead there are two registered puppy farms,” said Peter.
“Overall the system of licensing is weak and fails to give adequate welfare
protection to dogs used to breed the puppies or to puppies themselves.
“My own preference is to see an end to puppy farms but if they are to
continue, they need much tougher control and regulation. We have to put an end
to squalid, unhealthy and often cruel circumstances in which puppies are
farmed. We need to ban the sale of puppies below the age of 8 weeks.
“If farms are not registered and conforming to higher welfare standards,
they should be closed down. People who buy puppies from them do not know how
well their dog has been treated and do not have consumer protection.
“There is more protection in buying a fridge from an electrical store
than a puppy from an unregistered puppy farm.
“I urge all those wanting to buy a puppy to go to a reputable breeder
rather than a puppy farm where dogs are treated as puppy producing machines.”
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