Councillor Clare Raffan led the call, saying that companion animals need protection, and “we must all fight to shut down puppy and kitten farms and to ensure breeders are regulated and registered”.
“The sad reality is that most animal lovers are unaware the puppy or kitten they are purchasing may have been subjected to cruel and unethical conditions, locked in small cages, at a large-scale farm, and not raised by a small and caring breeder,” she said.
“The ‘breeding factories’ don’t take into consideration the animal’s welfare but rather the lucrative profits to be made. And what do you think happens to the dogs and cats when they have outlived their breeding duties?”
Cr Raffan said NSW had the dubious reputation as being the puppy farm capital of Australia.
“There are something like 200 puppy mills – large scale dog-breeding farms – and countless more kitten farms operating across metropolitan and regional NSW,” she said.
“And while there is no official data, it has been estimated that around 103,000 puppies are sold every year.”
She said that while the council pounds and animal shelters were full of abandoned or stray animals just waiting for adoption, NSW Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig should be applauded for supporting and encouraging families to “adopt a pet” from council pounds and animal shelters.
Call to ban puppy, kitten farms
CANTERBURY Bankstown Council will call on the State Government to ban puppy and kitten farms which are “flourishing” across NSW.
