Puppy Mills

Position:

The CVMA opposes puppy mills, which subject animals to suffering caused by conditions such as overcrowding; inadequate shelter, sanitation, food, water and veterinary care; long-term confinement; and lack of social or behavioural enrichment.

The CVMA encourages potential owners to consult the brochure Check List for Acquiring a Dog1, to avoid buying a dog from a puppy mill. The CVMA urges all canine breeding facilities to abide by the CVMA Code of Practice for Kennel Operations, 2007 edition2, as the standard for care and management. A Code of Practice for Canadian Catteries is under development.

Background:

As a member of the National Companion Animal Coalition, the CVMA accepts the NCAC definition of a puppy mill1:

A puppy mill is defined by the NCAC as a high-volume, sub-standard dog breeding operation, which sells purebred or mixed breed dogs to unsuspecting buyers.  Some of the characteristics common to puppy mills are:

• Sub-standard health and/or environmental issues;
• Sub-standard animal care, treatment and/or socialization;
•  Sub-standard breeding practices which lead to genetic defects or hereditary disorders;
• Erroneous or falsified certificates of registration, pedigrees and/or genetic background.

Note:  These conditions may also exist in small volume or single-breed establishments.

The puppies produced in these places frequently have behavioural problems resulting from lack of socialization, isolation and the trauma of being transported at a young age3, 4. They also frequently suffer from physical ailments, including genetic disorders resulting from irresponsible breeding practices5,6.

The CVMA encourages provincial Veterinary Medical Associations to lobby their provincial government to regulate the production and sale of companion animals.

References:

1. Check List for Acquiring a Dog, National Companion Animal Coalition, http://canadianveterinarians.net/index.aspx; under Publications, Other Resources.

2. A Code of Practice for Canadian Kennel Operations, 2nd edition, May 2007, http://canadianveterinarians.net/index.aspx; under Publications, Other Resources.

3. Overall K. Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Small Animals. Mosby – Year Book, Inc., 1997.

4. Houpt K. Domestic Animal Behavior for Veterinarians and Animal Scientists. Iowa State University Press, 1991.

5. Crook A, Hill B, Dawson S. Canine Inherited Disorders Database www.upei.ca/cidd Last accessed January 3, 2008.

6. Ackerman L. The Genetic Connection. American Animal Hospital Association Press, 1999.

(Adopted July 2008)