WELFARE ISSUES FACED BY DOGS IN THE U.K.
The Celia Hammond Animal Trust is well known for helping domestic and feral cats through our rescue and rehoming work.
However our busy London low cost Veterinary Clinic services are equally available to dogs and cats.
Low-cost neutering, vaccinations, microchipping, flea and worm treatments and general health care advice and consultations are available for dogs belonging to owners on a low income and unable to afford private veterinary care.
Today dogs are facing a range of welfare issues in addition to the cruelty and neglect that any species of pet animal can endure.
"Man's Best Friend" has sadly become exploited for profit as large scale dog breeding in the form of 'Puppy Farming' has become big business.
Dog Breeders have inbred certain breeds to the point of physical deformity and suffering.
'Bull breeds' have become a 'legal weapon' for gangs of youths, drug dealers and those involved in criminal activities as well as being used in illegal Dog Fighting, which is on the increase.
LOOKING TO GIVE A DOG A HOME?
We do not currently have the facilities to care for dogs whilst they await for rehoming. However we do usually have one or two dogs in our care that are in need of homes. These have usually been brought into us as strays found on the street or were patients at our Veterinary clinics but have been left with us for one reason or another by their owners.
Please take a look on our rehoming pages to see if we have a dog that may suit you.
Otherwise please approach one of the local rescue centres that do rehome dogs, they will have a wide choice of all ages, breeds and temperaments and will use their expertise to guide and advise you in the choice of a dog that it is suitable for you and your lifestyle.
Looking for a Pedigree dog? Rescue centres are full of pedigree dogs, well over half of the dogs in any rescue centre are specific breeds rather than mongrels.
If you are looking to offer a home to a rescued dog http://www.dogpages.org.uk/ is a very useful website with details of lots of rescued dogs all over the U.K in need of homes.
MONGRELS v PEDIGREE DOGS
Since Dogs were first domesticated they have been selectively bred to try and develop desired physical traits, this has led to the wide diversity of working and pet breeds of dogs that there are today from tiny Chihuahuas to Great Danes.
The Kennel Club is the organisation in the U.K that sets the breed standards and issues pedigree certificates.
In order to maintain the breed characteristics, keep breeds 'pure' and to qualify as pedigree dogs need to be mated with other dogs of the same breed. For many breeds of dogs this has resulted in a very small gene pool as dogs are effectively being mated with their own extended family members. This is known as 'inbreeding'.
Inbreeding is associated with a high risk of physical defects and weaknesses.
E.G: Bulldogs have become increasingly deformed in the last 100 years leading to breathing problems, skin complaints due to deep wrinkled folds of skin, an inability to give birth naturally due to the size of puppies heads (they have to be delivered by caesarian), and a reduced lifespan of only 7 years.
German shepherds and Labradors suffering with Hip Dysplasia.
King Charles spaniels whose skulls are too small to accommodate their brains leading to pressure and fitting.
In 2008 a BBC programme, Pedigree Dogs Exposed, graphically exposed the suffering of certain breeds of dogs who suffered acute health problems.
Also in 2008 the RSPCA decided to disassociate themselves from the national dog show - Crufts, this was in protest at breeding to exaggerate specific physical features that was leading to painful deformities.
In January 2009 The Kennel Club responded by introducing new standards for 209 breeds of dogs.
Puppies bred from matings between close relatives have also been banned from registering as pedigrees with the Kennel Club, but this may be difficult to enforce. However whether the changes go far enough to make much difference to improving dogs physical health has been questioned.
Mongrel and cross breed dogs are generally, healthier, fitter and live longer.
OUR OPINION...
It is our opinion that the selective breeding to produce the smallest, tallest, furriest, furless and so on often by repeated inbreeding is wrong. The resultant puppies and kittens are prone to inbreeding related health problems e.g. squashed noses leading to congestion and respiratory problems, dogs with hip problems and bitches requiring caesarean sections because their puppies heads are too big too be born normally.
Cats and dogs are intelligent sensitive animals and do not deserve to be experimented with as part of humans desire to develop certain physical attributes to extremes to the detriment of their health.
Mongrel and moggy animals are far more robust and healthy. They are also more even tempered than pedigrees.
It astounds us that people are so materialistic that the look of their pets is such an important factor in their choice of a dog that they can overlook the suffering inflicted on their pets physical well being - choosing a puppy has become rather like choosing a new carpet or three piece suite!
Britain - a nation of animal lovers???
Breeders and cruel puppy farmers are producing more and more puppies whilst Animal rescue centres struggle to pick up the pieces accommodating and finding new homes for the many Pedigree dogs that end up unwanted and homeless along with the cross breeds and mongrels.
The dog and cat breeders need to take a good hard look at what is happening. Most claim to love 'their' breed, they need to ask themselves why they are breeding when there are already so many unwanted pedigree dogs and cats as well as mongrels and moggies without homes? They need to turn their attention to tackle puppy farming, inbreeding and the plight of the surplus dogs for which there are not enough homes to go around.
At C.H.A.T, all our rescue cats and dogs are equal regardless of looks, age, temperament or pedigree status.
PLEASE DON'T BREED OR BUY WHILST STRAYS AND UNWANTED DOGS DIE!
PUPPY FARMING
WHATS THE STORY BEHIND THE PUPPY IN THE PET SHOP WINDOW?
Puppy farming is the mass, intensive breeding of puppies for the pet trade. It is a trade in suffering and misery, bitches of all breeds confined for their whole lives often in poor conditions, used as breeding machines. Their sickly puppies are supplied to pet shops, where many become seriously ill or even die.
C.H.A.T supports the campaign against Puppy Farming and would like to help raise awareness of the issue.
Apart from the photo's of the Yorkshire Terriers all other Puppy Farm Dog Photo's are copyright Puppy Love and have been obtained by undercover filming.
Puppy Love, Hope UK and Puppy Alert are three U.K organisations working together to raise public awareness of puppy farming.
http://www.dogs-r-us.org/puppyfarms.shtml
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/hopeuk/info.htm
http://sites.google.com/site/puppyalert/
PLEASE VISIT THESE SITES FOR INFORMATION, PHOTO'S AND VIDEO CLIPS ABOUT PUPPY FARMING. Please make yourself aware of the issue.
They all want to make the public aware of the connection between puppy farms, licensed commercial breeders, dealers and pet shops.
Today many litters of puppies for sale are not the result of an accidental mating - an unwanted litter in need of homes or even for sale by a breeder who has a few pedigree dogs at their home.
Puppy farming is big business and those involved are not animal lovers, they are people out to intensively rear puppies for maximum profit and with the minimum of input. Puppy farming is a large commercial enterprise with dogs living in disused barns and puppies bred on a conveyor belt system more akin to factory farming than ethical dog breeding.
The plight of the thousands of dogs and puppies that are confined
in concrete cells for a lifetime often without bed or bedding, is truly distressing.
Breeding bitches often give birth on concrete, they are not even provided with a bed in which to give birth to and raise their puppies.
Adult male stud dogs are kept in isolation until needed and most never see the outside world.
Some of these establishments are really large scale, it is alleged that one puppy farm in Ireland has between 700 and 1,100 breeding bitches and regularly supply dealers and pet shops in the UK.
Where are the Puppy Farms?
Two areas are Puppy Farming 'hotspots' - Wales and Ireland.
One reason is because puppy farmers prefer to be hidden in remote rural locations.
In Ireland there is no legislation at all governing puppy farming making it a haven for uncaring dog breeders.
The RSPCA estimate that approx 50,000 puppies are imported into the U.K from Ireland each year. (Source- http://www.giveanimalsavoice.org.uk/campaigns/exposing-puppy-traffickers/ )
Licensing of dog breeding establishments producing more than four litters a year is required in England and Wales, this includes an annual inspection by the local authorities. However even this seems to be achieving very little in terms of protecting the bitches, dogs and puppies involved.
In Carmarthenshire, Wales in just one county, there are nearly 90 licensed dog breeders; most regularly supply pet shops throughout the U.K through a dealer network.
Puppy farmers do not usually deal directly with the public, they sell puppies to dealers, 'a middle man' who then sells them on to pet shops or through classified adverts in papers or on the internet.
Licensing of breeding establishments is not ensuring that breeding bitches, stud dogs and their puppies welfare needs are being met by the breeders or by the Council authorities that license and inspect the premises.
This was highlighted recently when a recent Welsh TV programme went undercover in three licensed dog breeding establishments in Carmarthenshire. To view the film follow the link:
http://www.dogs-r-us.org/puppyfarms.shtml
There are puppy farms all over the U.K, not just in Ireland and Wales, tiny puppies bred in appalling conditions are transported to dealers and pet shops all over the U.K as well as overseas for sale to the general public.
Search on the internet for 'puppy farming' and you will find plenty of information and hundreds of cautionary tales from people who have purchased sickly puppies.
Buying puppy farm bred puppies keeps the trade going...
The Dogs Trust recently conducted a survey asking dog owners if they would consider buying a dog from a puppy farm.
Although almost 95% said no, when asked where they had got their dog from 15.1% - potentially 900,000 dog owners – admitted they had got them from an advert in the newspaper, the internet, a pet shop or a pet superstore, all outlets often supplied by puppy farms!
(Source: Dogs Trust Battery Farmed Dogs Campaign - http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/az/b/batteryfarmeddogs/default.aspx)
Petshops
Although you may feel sorry for that puppy in the pet shop window, by purchasing it you are adding to the demand, and if people keep buying the breeders keep suppling.
If you are concerned that the puppy looks sickly, too young or are concerned about the conditions it is being housed in call your local Council Animal Welfare Department - they will be responsible for licensing the pet shop, or call the RSPCA.
Classified Adverts
The other main outlet for Puppy farm bred puppies is sales via classified ads both in local papers and on the internet. Beware anyone selling a large variety of breeds, they will be a dealer, a 'middle man' they have purchased the puppies from the Puppy Farmer and are looking to sell them on at a profit.
Some offer to deliver the puppy to your home or meet at a motorway service station, this is all so that the customer does not know where the puppy originated from.
Pedigree and vaccination certificates are often incorrect or false.
In April 2006 C.H.A.T came face to face with the horror of puppy farming when a breeder of Yorkshire Terriers died.
206 Yorkshire Terriers, adults and Puppies were found in a windowless 60ft shed in absolute squalor.
Please Click Here for a full report on the Yorkshire Terriers rescued by the Trust on Easter Sunday 2006
An end to puppy farming?
To bring an end to this evil trade in puppies the public must stop buying puppies from pet shops and from dealers advertising in papers and on the internet.
A ban on the sale dogs (and cats) in pet shop needs to be brought in - it's long over due.
The Kennel Club must stop registering puppy farm bred puppies - the pedigree certificates are what gives the puppies their £££ value.
It is time for the government to act and for the local authorities who are responsible for inspecting dog breeding establishments and issuing licences to stand up and be counted or even just do their jobs.
Every day breeding bitches, their puppies and stud dogs are suffering in dirty, cramped conditions with no quality of life in the U.K. - a nation of so called animal lovers - this is totally unacceptable and must end now.
NEVER BUY A PUPPY FROM A PET SHOP OR FROM A DEALER VIA AN ADVERT IN THE PAPER OR ON THE INTERNET. IDEALLY ADOPT A DOG FROM A RESCUE CENTRE. IF YOU DO DECIDE TO BUY A PUPPY ALWAYS SEE IT WITH ITS MOTHER.
THE PLIGHT OF 'BULL BREEDS' - STAFFORDSHIRE BULL TERRIERS AND STAFFIE CROSS BREEDS.
All animal charities and organisations involved with animal welfare continue to be very concerned about the plight of Staffies, Staffie crosses and other 'Bull' breeds.
Staffordshire Bull Terriers are a relatively small dog with a very friendly nature, and most belong to people who want a family pet - but some people are cross breeding them with larger dogs such as Bull Mastiffs, Rottweilers and also with breeds such as Pitt Bull Terriers which are banned in the U.K under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.
Staffies and increasingly, larger Staffie cross breeds are seen as status dogs by those seeking powerful looking dogs to add to their 'macho' image. These owners are typically young men and are generally inexperienced dog owners.
Larger cross breeds appeal to those involved in criminal activities - carrying a knife as a weapon now carries a five year prison sentence, but if a dog is used as a weapon there is no such penalty.
Many of these dogs are deliberately encouraged to be aggressive and are used in illegal dog fighting and for protecting drug dealers or others involved in criminal activities. They are often used as weapons in drug related gang wars – in effect a legal gun.
Puppies are regularly bought and sold through free-ad papers and websites with no checks being made as to who is buying them. Incidents of dealers posing as genuine homes to purchase puppies that they then re-advertise at a higher price are commonplace. These dogs are being bred and sold for profit by people who have absolutely no concern as to their well being now or in the future.
There are now so many Staffordshire type dogs in the London area that approximately 80% of puppies belonging to owners attending our low cost vaccination and treatment clinics are Staffie type puppies.
Staffordshire Bull Terriers DO make gentle loving pets but as with any dog incorrect training when young can lead to an aggressive and difficult to handle animal.
No-go areas? In many London parks and public spaces there are frequent gatherings of owners and their Staffie and Staffie cross breed dogs. Tiny puppies are frequently observed being traded between those present. Some parks are becoming no go areas due to the number of incidents of dogs and people being attacked by uncontrolled dogs.
Our clinic's are treating pets that have been the victims of dog attacks on a weekly basis. Many cats are continuing to be attacked and killed by dogs that are running uncontrolled off the lead, often being goaded on by their owners.
Unwanted, abandoned, euthanased, Many dogs that are not aggressive enough or up to scratch are abandoned and end up in rescue centres or the local pound.
Animal Rescue centres in the London area are struggling to cope with the very high numbers of Staffie type dogs in their care. For those dogs that have been encouraged to be aggressive, their fate is usually euthanasia.
It is hard to even rehome Staffie types with a nice temperament because their image has been tarnished.
Pitt Bull Terriers? The Pitt Bull Terrier is a powerful breed that was banned under the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act. Dogs alive at the time could not be bred from (had to be neutered), have an I.D tattoo, be muzzled in public and could not be sold or change owner.
However many of the Staffie crosses around today are considered to actually be Pitt Bull crosses. Adverts openly seeking Pitt Bull Types for various dubious purposes are to be found on certain 'free ad' websites.
Dog Wardens in London are seizing dogs that they suspect to be Pitt Bull types. If after assessment they are deemed to be so, the owner must go to court to argue the case that their dog is not aggressive and obtain a licence to keep their pet which from that point must be neutered and microchipped as well as muzzled and kept on a lead at all times when in public areas. For those pets that show aggressive tendencies the outlook is bleak and euthanasia is the most likely outcome.
In numerous cases caring responsible owners are having what they believe to be their beloved pet Staffordshire Bull Terrier seized and assessed to be a Pitt Bull cross breed.
Some cases C.H.A.T has been involved in........
NALA
Nala was found in an emaciated state tied up in a local park. She had been there for hours by the time we were contacted and had clearly recently reared a litter of puppies. Presumably her puppies were sold but her owner could not sell an emaciated, neglected adult bitch so they abandoned her. Nala has recovered and been rehomed.
FINN
We received a call from a distressed member of the public who had found a dog in starving condition, cowering under a bush in a park in South East London.
Two of our rescue workers went to collect the dog and were utterly shocked at his condition.
On arrival at the clinic, Finn was struggling to support his weight and was in a near collapsed state. Finn weighed just 7.3Kg!
Whereas a young adult male Staffordshire Bull terrier should weigh a minimum of 20Kg.
Finn was immediately given intravenous fluids and was fed frequent small meals to gradually build his weight.
After 3 months, Finn was restored to health and now has a lovely new home.
LENNOX
Lennox, an adult male Staffie, was brought into our clinic by his owner for neutering.
Our vet was shocked to be presented with a dog weighing just 12.1 kg. He was dirty with seriously overgrown claws and his fur was stained yellow with urine and smelled terrible. His owner told us that she lived in a flat and couldn't cope with him as she had a baby, so he was living on the balcony. She was relieved when we said we couldn't give him back to her and Lennox has now found a lovely new home.
BONNIE
Bonnie was found scavenging around rubbish bins. She was emaciated and so weak that her legs were buckling under her.
Full of milk she had clearly recently reared a litter of puppies, again we can only assume that her owners sold her puppies and then abandoned her.
Bonnie has recovered and has been rehomed along with an abandoned mongrel puppy to a new home.
What is being done about this situation?
Animal charities continue to promote responsible dog ownership.
- Only take on a puppy that you are able to afford to feed, house and provide veterinary for the rest of his/her life, which could be as long as 14-16 years.
- That you will be able to give him/her the time and attention they deserve including regular walks twice a day. Regular daily exercise and time spent enjoying each others company is a priority so that your dog does not become frustrated.
- Puppies require early training and socialising with other dogs. There are plenty of classes around that your puppy can attend.
- Provide good health care for your dog including vaccinations, micro-chipping and importantly neutering. There are plenty of private and charity run veterinary services available.
But some people are not interested in being responsible...
For the minority of Staffie and Staffie Cross breed owners who are irresponsible and seek to own these dogs for the wrong reasons messages of responsible ownership continue to fall on deaf ears.
In London local authorities and Housing associations are looking into additional conditions regarding Dog ownership being added to tenancy agreements.
Harrow Council will be requiring every tenants dog to be microchipped. They will be assessing tenants dogs on an individual basis and "if dog-handling officers deemed a particular dog dangerous, its owners would be refused a tenancy, regardless of the breed of their pet." (- As reported in The Times 09/01/10)
Wandsworth Council in South London requires all dogs owned by council housing tenants to be microchipped. (Source: www.wandsworth.gov.uk)
C.H.A.T welcomes the introduction of conditions such as microchipping and neutering of pets, these are two measures that can significantly improve the welfare of London's dog and cat population.
Compulsory microchipping for all dogs?
Under plans to be unveiled at the next general election there is a cross party proposal that all dogs in Britain must be microchipped and their details will be stored on a national database.
Both Labour and the Conservatives support the plan because they believe it will curb the number of stray, neglected, dangerous and stolen dogs. (Source: www.wandsworth.gov.uk Oct 2009)
A change in the law?
Could a change in the law to make the owner responsible for their dogs' actions be part of the solution?
For instance, using a dog as a weapon against a person could carry the same penalty as using a knife already does. Such a penalty could reduce the attraction of owning and training a dog to be aggressive.
Our advice to anyone with a Staffie or Staffie type dog is to always neuter their dog or bitch so that they cannot contribute to this sorry situation.
If you are looking to rehome a Staffie please go to one of your local rescue centres there are so many staffie types desperately in need of new homes.
Update 9th March 2010
Parliamentary proposals were today unveiled to try and tackle the problems associated with irresponsible owners and status dogs.
It is proposed that all dogs should be compulsorily I.D microchipped.
Secondly that dogs should have third party insurance so that if a dog does injury any one then the victim can be financially compensated.
The BBC reported that Ministers are considering making it a criminal offence for a dog owner to allow their animal to be "dangerously out of control".
Also being considered is whether the number of breeds that are banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 should be increased. Four breeds are currently banned in the U.K - Pit bull terrier, Japanese tosa, Dogo Argentinos and Fila brasileiros.
The Guardian reports that 900 Dangerous Dogs were seized by Police in London in 2009.
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