A petition calling for a complete ban on dodgy puppy farming in Tasmania, signed by over 6,000 people, has been presented to the state parliament.
The petition was initiated following the RSPCA’s recent rescue of over 200 Labradoodles from a large-scale operation south of Launceston.
Independent MP David O’Byrne said the incident highlights the need for stricter dog breeding regulations.
“The fact that the RSPCA had to go through such a complex battle to get this puppy farm closed down proves that our current framework of laws is not working,” he said.
“What we need to do is update our laws, give the authorities greater power to make sure that animals are safe … and those reputable breeders are able to conduct their business in the full knowledge that they are ethical.”
RSPCA Tasmania chief executive Andrea Dawkins said the petition is a “significant moment” for animal welfare in the state.
“It’s really important that more members of parliament stand up and progress animal welfare in Tasmania. We can’t do it without MP support,” she said.
She said the RSPCA believes Tasmanian Labradoodles was the largest puppy farm in the state.
“We know at one point this was a reputable breeder. And it’s somewhere in the last five years that we’ve lost control of this business,” she said.
The RSPCA would like to see all dog breeding operations in the state subject to regular inspections.
“All we’ve got are the kennel registrations for 29 councils around the state. It’s very unwieldy for us to know where the facilities are that we should be proactively managing.”
“We … want to make sure that we understand exactly who’s breeding and who we need to manage.”
