PUPPY MILLS IN AOTEAROA
WHAT ARE PUPPY MILLS?
by Danielle Schwabe and Kelly Dykes
According to Wikipedia, a puppy mill is a 'commercial dog breeding facility characterised by quick breeding and poor conditions.' Although there is no standardised legal definition for puppy mills, they are known to continuously confine and neglect puppies in order to maximise profits. These places are the result of irresponsible breeders.
WHERE ARE THEY FOUND IN NEW ZEALAND?
The whole point of puppy milling behaviour is for it to happen behind closed doors. This is why there is no 'set' area where Puppy Mills are found most in New Zealand. However, in 2015, it was estimated that there were at least 6 puppy mills in the Manawatu and Horowhenua regions alone. These breeders were understood to be selling online over networks like TradeMe, and supplying puppies to pet stores within the Wellington Region. Because there is a lack of enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act, there is no reason why this number wouldn't have increased.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE MOTHER DOGS INVOLVED?
Quite commonly, the mother dogs are only puppies too. The females are bred at every opportunity with no recovery time between litters. The dogs are often kept in cages without adequate food, water, care or socialisation. When the female dogs reach a point of physical depletion and can no longer produce puppies, they tend to be sold to other breeders, or even killed.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PUPPIES THEMSELVES?
After being birthed, the puppies remain in the 'care' of the breeder. In most puppy mill situations, these are awful conditions. At eight weeks old, most puppies are able to eat and drink well, are mobile, and are able to experience the world living without their mothers. Before this point, crucial puppy development is ongoing and the puppies are still very much dependent on their mothers. However, in puppy mill situations, by eight weeks, most pups are sold to pet shops or directly to the public through the internet, newspaper advertisements, swap meets and flea markets. Because of early removal, puppies then have behaviours and problems related to this, such as an inability to self soothe, difficulty housebreaking, perform fear biting, and can have psychological issues.