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I know that usually we blog about new products, cute visitors to our pet shop or pet nutrition… but we genuinely care about the welfare of our own and our customers animals, so would like to take this opportunity to let people know some shocking facts about puppy farms right here in Ireland.
You may be disgusted to hear that Irish puppy farms currently export about 30,000 dogs to the UK. These shocking figures mean that Ireland has been dubbed the “puppy farm capital of Europe”. Ex puppy farm dogs can have a whole range of issues ranging from health complications due to poor breeding and unsanitary conditions to behavioral problems due to lack of socialisation. The breeding dams (the mothers) often spend their whole lives in small pens churning out litter after litter with little or no exercise, natural light or even fresh air.
We have met some ex farm “breeding machines” in our store who have been rescued by families and they are lovely, gentle creatures enjoying every minute of their new surroundings – but sadly, many rescued from farms are too traumatised and need to be put out of their misery.
Have a look at this recent Ear to the Ground episode on RTE where some farmers did a quick tidy up in an effort to friendly up and justify their sick business.
There is one reason these farmers are in business – TO MAKE MONEY. Dogs are not cattle and farming them like cattle is unethical and cruel. Oh and saying a dog will not mind not getting out of its pen to exercise because its “used to it” is just plain stupid. Children can get “used to” being beaten but that doesn’t make it acceptable.
A lot of the time, people buy puppy farmed dogs without realising. Some of the oldest tricks in the book are to offer to meet you halfway at the side of the road somewhere, or to move the litter in question in to a separate viewing room so everything appears to be ok. Also unfortunately the sight of a sickly or frightened looking puppy can often tug at the heart strings and people hand over the cash to “rescue” the puppy from the situation. This is NOT you rescuing the puppy, it is simply supporting greedy farmers who are relying on soft hearted people to fork out for a sick puppy… be strong – WALK AWAY. I’m sorry to say I’ve lost count of the number of puppies we’ve met in our store who have become seriously ill or died within weeks of them being purchased. This is also the case for some of the puppies featured in this RSPCA expose:
This process is costly, traumatic (especially for families with children) and can be easily avoided. I will blog soon with tips how to go about choosing a puppy, but for now I need to go home and cuddle my precious dogs.
The Dog Breeding Establistments Bill is currently being debated in the Dail. Well done to ANVIL, the ISPCA, and all involved for getting this far.
Tags: Buying a Puppy, choosing a puppy, dog breeding establishments bill, irish animal legislation, puppies, puppies online, puppy farm
Nice one Claire…… heart-breaking. It’s high time something was done about those unscrupulous breeders. Dogs need to be loved and cared for. I’m sooo upset after reading / watching that……..
Very interesting article. I feel even though there will be new legislation, we don’t have the people here to enforce it. We are actually a very cruel nation where our animals are concerned. Government has turned a blind eye for so long. All of these puppy farms need to be closed down and the owners prosecuted, jailed and throw away the key.
I work for lush cosmetics. Next week we will have a petition in our stores in Cork and Dublin that people can sign and that will be sent to our local TDs. We are supporting the Dog Breeding Establishment Bill as it is and do not believe that any organisations should be exempt. Our country is embarassingly backward when it comes to animal welfare. If you are passing a shop between 6 April and 11 April please drop in and add you name to the list.
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i got willow who came from a puppy farm in irland she was so thin her head nearly touch the floor she was so dirty and the smell so bad but 5 weeks on the tail wags she walks on a lead and head held high. Its taken lots of tlc but we have got a little angel and we are so prode of her
I AGRRE PUPPY FARMS ARE A DISGRACE,ICANT BUT FEELFOR THESE POOR DOGS.AM DELIGHTED TO HEAR
LEGLISTATION WILL PUT AN END TO IT.
OUR LAST DOG SIVE A RESCUE DOG LIVED FOR 24..4 YEARS!!!!! IT TOOK 3 YEARS BEFORE WE COULD THINK
OF GETTING ANOTHER DOG,
RUBY IS WITH US NOW AYEAR WITH US ANOTHER RESCUE
DOG. ALSO JACJ RUSSELLL,GREAT CHARATERS AND SO
AFFECTIONATE.DOGS GIVE UNCONTIONAL LOVE.WE LOVE RUBY SO MUCH.SIVE WOULD UNDERSTAND,
dogs and puppies should not be treated like this. you people are discusting and vile.these poor dogs and puppies are locked up 24 .7 it is not fair to do this to them. you dont love them at all. what i dont under send is that you keep them in those cages. I am 13 and I love dogs VERY much. Manon
so sad, we bought a lhasa apso for my daughter we thougt it was from a reputible breeder . the dog had teribble behavior problems we tried everything as a family to help the dog but the final straw came when unprovoked the dog savagely attacked a friends small son subsiquently the dog had to be put down. we later found out that the lady who we purchased the dog from gave us fake pedigree papers and was part of a scam to do with a puppy farm , these people have no morals, and the bloke on that video in ireland sayin the dogs dont know any better they dont like to go out what a joke some one ought to lock them up 24/7 see how they like it .
it is time to ban all puppy farming, we look at the sad abused faces of the puppies, but what about the condition of the dog and breeding bitches, imagine how they look, poor things, its a disgrace and shouldn’t be allowed, how can it be a legitimate business, how, its so cruel, a cruel trade by greedy heartless people, who have not one care for the puppies or the dogs held prisoners, for years, i do work for a puppy farm in wales, and have donated this week and been making coats for the dogs, laws have to change and now, no more should animals be used to make greedy shits of human beings money
you peple are dscasting
i go on this web site allot to see what is going on and nutting has hopped
i just which this video and it made me Cray you people dot cear at all do you i hope you read these so you can se how so many people are decscused
I’d say most if not all of you people eat pork, a far more intelligent animal than a dog, by doing that you are supporting factory farming, the pigs have no lives, are killed, slaughtered, chopped up and devoured but you don’t care about that because you’re selfish and you enjoy eating them, what a pack of hypocrites.
it makes me feel sick to know that these puppy farms exist! i have dogs myself and dont understand how people can do this to dogs.
It makes me sad to see some of these comments left a year ago – optimistic about the new leg and it wasn’t even passed! The government is a joke. Keep lobbying new Minister for Environment Phil Hogan at minister@environ.ie – and keep emailing him until he does something. Similarly if anyone know where any of these puppy farms are – let me know as I am a journalist trying to do a story on it.
We are looking for a puppy and I am almost sure we came across a puppy farmer. It was very hard to walk away as I had an urge to save a little pup but just couldn’t hand my money over to someone like that. My 4 year old was heartbroken
What an experience!
what next – hugh f w says organic puppy farms for food – WTF is happening to us as intelligent beings – lets eat each other – sick sick sick
Just watched tv3 documentry on puppy farms and feel sick that legistation still not signed why not just sign it why protect such evil against these poor dogs was looking for a new pup on line now will be staying well away getting in touch with local vet for advice anyone know of petition to get legistation in.
if your a puppy farmer I think your sick
ive just been reading/watching your piece,,, i am sickened by all of this,, i am doing a social studies assignment on animal farms and animal testing,, i knew a good bit about it all but the more i look into it the more upsetting this is getting for me, i have two staffiture terriers at home,, they are my babies,, i dont no how anyone can hold dogs in there sheds like that and not care for them.. i love walking down the fields with my dogs and letting them for cuddles by the fire.. its an amazing feeling the love you feel from your dog,, you love dem and they love you back, unconditionally..