This month, WA Labor announced a policy that includes compulsory sterilisation of dogs unless an exemption is requested and pet shops that sell only dogs supplied by a rescue organisation, approved animal shelter or registered breeder.
Ms Baker said people often did not realise the “horror” of puppy farms that do not look after basic animal freedoms.
“The first time quite often you see the puppy farm puppies is in an ad, saying ‘I’ve got eight-week-old labradoodle puppies, come and get one’,” she said.
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“You don’t know what you’re buying when you buy a puppy from a puppy farm.”
Last year, the community protested outside Mt Lawley Pets and Puppies for allegedly buying dogs from a puppy farm in New South Wales.
“I have pet shops that sell puppy farm dogs in my electorate and I know one has quite happily admitted to buying puppies from a puppy farm that has recently been raided by police and the RSCPA in New
“If a pet shop wishes to retail puppies, they should have a relationship with a responsible shelter rescue or adoption centrewhich would be a feeder group.”
RSPCA WA president Lynne Bradshaw said her organisation welcomed the pledge.
“Puppy farm operators are ruthless, they don’t care about the terrible impact their activities have on the puppies or the people involved,” she said.
“Right now, every single day, we deal with around 13 cases of cruelty and neglect involving dogs.”