100 signatures reached
To: Ministry of Primary Industries
Stop the sale of puppies at pet stores and online in Aotearoa unless it can be properly regulated
Photo Credit: Anna Swartz / Mic (https://www.mic.com/articles/162185/trump-s-newest-pick-is-a-defender-of-puppy-mills-an-industry-of-torture)
We want the Ministry of Primary Industries to stop the sale of puppies at pet stores and online OR implement stronger regulations to ensure that puppies being bred and sold under these conditions are bred and cared for following the Animal Welfare Act and a new breeder licensing system.
This system will require breeders to be fully responsible for the health and wellbeing of the puppies they sell, and provide a clear code that breeders must abide by in order to sell the puppies legally including policies overseeing welfare procedures in place and records of trading.
Why is this important?
The New Zealand Animal Welfare Act legally recognises animals as 'sentient', meaning they are now seen as able to perceive and feel things and have a right to express natural behaviour. However, this act has too many extreme intolerable loopholes, and experiences a total lack of enforcement from those in power.
Legal enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) in New Zealand is down to the Ministry of Primary Industries and the SPCA. There is a lack in the numbers of those regulating the Act, and the New Zealand Government does not appear to dedicate an adequate amount of money to the SPCA, which relies almost entirely on donations and fundraising. This is not enough.
No proper enforcement of the AWA means there are little to no regulations that apply to the breeding and selling of dogs and puppies in Aotearoa. This means virtually ANYONE can breed and sell a dog, no matter the life stage or stability. This puts the dogs at high risk of poor treatment, malnourishment and illness. In many cases, dogs involved in backyard breeding live in shocking conditions that no animal should ever have to endure.
Puppy mills and irresponsible breeders are known to breed dogs for quantity, not quality. In order to make the money they want, they do not care to provide veterinary care to the pups that need it most, potentially leaving them with life-long health defects. It is totally unfair and wrong that behind the scenes, puppies are being bred in horrific environments so that breeders and pet-store owners can benefit economically.
The only solution to this would be to stop the sale of puppies at pet stores and online unless those with higher power implement and enforce proper regulations that ensure puppies do not have to suffer just so that breeders can earn some money.
Those involved in puppy mills and irresponsible breeding need to be held accountable and these unacceptable practices need to stop. We want ALL animals to be respected as the living beings they are.
You can also educate yourself on the topic using the following websites...
SAFE - https://safe.org.nz/our-work/animals-in-need/puppy-mills/
PETA - https://www.peta.org/issues/animal-companion-issues/pet-trade/puppy-mills/
Animal Welfare Act (SAFE) - https://safe.org.nz/our-work/animals-in-need/animal-welfare-act/
Here is a link to our OWN website we created to raise awareness:
https://kellydykes.wixsite.com/puppymillsinaotearoa
How it will be delivered
Once we have enough signatures we plan to email them to the Ministry of Primary Industries, encouraging those with the power to do something amazing to take a wider look at this awful issue and implement strict regulations for the health and wellbeing of the puppies involved.
Please help us get there and sign today!