Top three issues…

Issue one:

Education of consumers around the differences between backyard breeders, puppy farms and ethical breeders.

Communication to consumer needs to be consistent and provide information on differences.

• Issues such as confusion around the Breeder Identification Number system in QLD and the tenancy for the consumer to assume that this means the breeder is ethical and legitimate, when in reality this is just a method of tracing the breeder and doesn’t reflect any level of skill or legitimacy.

• Highlighting the importance of understanding, genetics, nutrition, husbandry, temperament development, socialisation and enrichment.

• Noting that responsible breeders track progeny outcomes, conduct genetic testing and spend time developing bloodlines for healthy puppies.

• What it means if a breeder is a member of the PIAA.

An important goal here is to dispel and refute the misinformation and propaganda driven by extremists and activism.

Issue two:

Compliance, enforcement and legislation differences between States, Councils and organisations.

There is a very wide range of enforcement levels, legislative development and compliance throughout the industry.

• Huge differences from state to state

• Differences from council to council

• Different rules for some associations and breed types

This is confusing for industry as well as the consumer.

Lobbying for

• Less legislative ambiguity

• Increased enforcement

• Training for subordinate legislators and enforcement officers

• funding and resource increases for enforcement

Governments should be made aware of the benefits of pet ownership as well as the economic contribution of the industry and as such support an ethical industry rather than seek to ban or make pet breeding unviable.

Issue three:

Puppy selling scams

These are more and more common at the moment due to the lack of supply of puppies, scammers have seen an opportunity to take advantage of consumers who are having difficulty finding a puppy. As a result people are willing to take chances they might otherwise not take.

• This is driven by the fact that it has become commonplace for a customer to pay a legitimate breeder a deposit before actually seeing the puppy. This is due to restrictions around contact and COVID.

Needs to push for more security for the purchaser and more effort into finding and punishing offenders or scammers.