Help Put an End to Puppy Mills in Canada

It’s been almost 5 months since hundreds of sickly, stressed out and dead puppies arrived in Toronto from a flight originating in Ukraine.

When the news broke out, dog lovers throughout Canada were outraged and demanded stricter rules and regulations regarding the importations of dogs from international “breeders”.

Before we look outwards, we suggest looking inwards. What is the state of dog breeding in our own country? In Canada, we don't have any laws specifically against puppy mills. But the worst puppy mills are in violation of animal cruelty laws due to the suffering and distress endured by the animals. The problem is that they are located in rural areas and are difficult for humane society or SPCA inspectors to uncover.

As the holidays approach and more people continue to work from home, demands for companion animals, especially dogs, are increasing. So, how do we know if we are inadvertently supporting a puppy mill? If you are choosing the breeder route when adding a canine member to your family, consider asking the breeder the following questions:

-         How long have you been breeding?

-         How many litters have you bred?

-         Can I see where the puppies and dams are being housed?

-         What were your goals for this litter?

You can find out a more comprehensive list of questions to ask your breeder at https://humanecanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Essential-questions-to-ask-a-breeder.pdf

We continue to bring attention to the issue of puppy mills by working on a two-pronged approach:

1. We are working with government officials to strengthen the regulations regarding illegal, commercial dog breeding operations, also known as puppy mills.
2. We are creating a public awareness campaign to educate the public on how to screen potential breeders and how to make adoption their first choice when bringing a dog into their lives.

In the meantime, we invite you to sign the anti-puppy mill pledge, available through our website https://humanecanada.ca/stoppuppymills/

By adding your name you will pledge to:

1. Help people make smart, informed and caring decisions about getting a pet
2. Educate other pet owners about responsible pet ownership
3. Clearly show people how to recognize reputable and non-reputable sources and how to avoid heartache and expense
4. Prevent adopters from perpetuating the non-reputable pet sourcing industry by referring them to known, recognized and reputable sources

Links:

• Tips on what you can do TODAY to stop puppy mills in Canada
• Registered breeder list infiltrated by questionable sellers