Help Put an End to Puppy Mills in Canada

Hello,

Thank you for being a valued supporter of Humane Canada as we continue our work for companion animals in Canada.

Humane Societies & SPCA’s in our country continue to struggle with a rise in pet surrenders, most notably dogs. During the pandemic adoption of companion animals sky-rocketed, and now pet owners are struggling to find affordable veterinary care and pet-friendly housing, leading to some of those pandemic pets being returned to shelter. Our CEO Barbara Cartwright says that there are many contributing factors for this rise in pet surrenders, but a big reason is puppy mills. Because of the increased demand for dogs during the pandemic, this allowed for less reputable breeding facilities like puppy mills to benefit from the high number of people looking to add a new puppy to their home.

Dogs who come from puppy mills often suffer from a variety of health issues, or even behavioral problems due to inhumane breeding and poor conditions at these facilities. This can cause financial struggle for pet owners who cannot afford high veterinary costs, or they simply are not equipped to deal with behavioral issues. This leads to more dogs being surrendered to shelters who are left to deal with these concerns. Health and behavioral problems often mean a longer stay for the animal before they are ready for adoption, which creates a financial strain for shelters.

Not only is the cost of veterinary care a concern for many, but access to it at all is becoming more and more difficult. Four years ago, the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association found that with the projected rise in pet ownership, the veterinary industry would need to increase the number of Veterinarians and other veterinary professionals by about 4% per year to keep up. That study was prior to the pandemic, as we know, the pandemic accelerated the rate of pet ownership since then.

Humane Canada will continue to consult our member SPCA’s & Humane Societies on these growing issues, as we work to provide solutions to both shelters and pet owners alike. We currently have a new website in development, that will be a hub of information and resources for our members and the public. In the meantime, access to information about puppy mills and responsible pet ownership are available on our current website.

Links:

• The Walrus: More Dogs Than Ever (Reference)
• What To Know Before Getting A Dog