Breeding and selling companion animals 'largely unregulated' in NZ

Thursday, 18 January 2018

Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BAOS) has been likened to breathing through a pillow.

The breeding, buying and selling of puppies and kittens is largely unregulated in New Zealand, animal welfare groups say.

New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) chief veterinary officer Dr Helen Beattie said 'irresponsible breeders continue to prosper' behind a lack of regulation, the ability to sell animals via third parties, and the general public's lack of awareness on the issue.

'No regulatory bodies will check that these breeders are knowledgeable about animal health and breeding practices and nobody will ensure they have the necessary facilities to keep the puppies, kittens or their parents safe and comfortable,' she said.

From March 1, pugs, British bulldogs and French bulldogs will be banned for sale on Trade Me.

'We need to say the welfare of these animals matters,' Dr Mike King says.

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The NZVA supported the decision and recommended that companion animal breeding be regulated in New Zealand.

The association asked people looking to purchase pets to consider the ethical issues first.

'Don't support breeders who produce puppies with severely exaggerated features,' the association said. This applied not only to exaggerated features in brachycephalic dogs, but also to dogs with inherited disorders such as hip dysplasia.

French bulldog Cleo is among the breeds Trade Me will ban the sale of on its site.

Beattie said veterinarians would prefer to consult with people about health and welfare issues before they obtained animals 'rather than dealing with the heartache after'.

Owners of animals capable of breeding should be required to hold a specific permit issued by their local authority, she said.

'Don't support breeders who produce puppies with severely exaggerated features,' the NZVA says.

'Exemptions could be considered if the owner was a member of a breeding organisation that required its members to operate in accordance with a code of ethics, and audits their activity,' she said.

'Third-party sellers should also be licensed so that acceptable industry standards can be developed and enforced to improve the welfare of traded companion animals.'

DO NZ STANDARDS EXIST?

Dogs New Zealand (Dogs NZ) director Peter Dunne said the most relevant set of guidelines was the Animal Welfare (Dogs) Code of Welfare 2010.

The code, issued under the Animal Welfare Act 1999, still applied and was cited on the Ministry for Primary Industries' (MPI) website.

It included a 'minimum standard' for breeding: 'Breeders must make all reasonable efforts to ensure that the genetic make-up of both sire and dam will not result in an increase in the frequency or severity of known inherited disorders.'

Selling or attempting to sell an animal which is suffering unreasonable or unnecessary pain or distress is an offence under the Act. MPI and the SPCA are responsible for enforcing the Act.

The SPCA's official policy said it was opposed to breeding which caused, or was likely to cause, suffering or negative health impacts to mothers and offspring.

'The SPCA is against the selective breeding of any animal that aims to achieve certain external features or produces internal changes that negatively affect the health and welfare of the animal concerned.'

Dogs NZ, an organisation associated with the breeding and health testing of about 223 recognised breeds, had its own Breeders' Code of Ethics. That code restricted the breeding conditions to 'maintain optimal welfare for the bitch and her progeny', Dunne said.

But he said the breeding and selling of dogs in New Zealand was 'largely unregulated' and required intervention.

Unregulated breeding needed to be addressed, 'perhaps with a licence to breed and sell', Dunne said.

'We [Dogs NZ] think in the first instance better education for both the public and breeders is paramount.'

INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

Beattie said New Zealand was behind the eight ball when it came to regulating the breeding and selling of companion animals.

'There are many examples internationally, for example, in the European Union, United Kingdom and some states of the USA and Australia that require dog breeders to be licensed,' she said. 'Where these laws have been successfully implanted, large welfare gains have been seen in dogs,' she said.

'Many veterinarians believe that reducing supply of dogs and cats will foster an attitude where they are valued and have improved welfare.'

In the UK, new regulations to improve animal welfare are expected to come into force early 2018.

The regulations would prohibit the sale of puppies, as well as kittens and rabbits, younger than 8 weeks old. Licensed commercial dog breeders would be required to show puppies alongside their mother before sale were made, and sales must be completed on the premises with the new owner present. Dog breeders would only be permitted to sell puppies they had bred themselves.

PREVENTING UNETHICAL BREEDING

In the absence of animal welfare regulations holding breeders to account, the NZVA asked prospective puppy and kitten buyers to take action themselves.

'The power to effect change and enforce standards lies with the people who are buying puppies and kittens,' Beattie said.

'In the way that we ask for our eggs, dairy products and meat to be produced with higher welfare standards, purchasers of puppies and kittens must also demand higher welfare standards for breeding.'

While the Southern Bulldog Club acknowledged in 2017 that the soaring popularity of French bulldogs had highlighted the health difficulties in many specimens, they blamed 'backyard' breeders attracted by the prospect of big money.

French bulldogs previously for sale on sites like Trade Me and Facebook could be listed as high as $4500, and $2500 for pugs.

Southern Bulldog Club president Kathy Brown said the growing trend of British and French bulldogs breeds was harmful.

'We as registered, reputable breeders also do not like seeing animals bred with exaggerations that impact on their health.'

Dr Mike King, a bioethics lecturer at Otago University, said breeding dogs known to have poor welfare raised ethical issues.

'We need to realise that these dogs have a value and we should give that priority when making breeding decisions,' he said.

'We need to say the welfare of these animals matters.'