Companion animal breeding
Separating the good from the bad can help people searching for a certain breed
P.E.I. has many breeders of companion animals who are passionate about their breeds and who take great care to ensure the health and well-being of their animals.
As a rule, responsible breeders welcome you to their facility, are careful in selecting owners for their animals and work to ensure the integrity of their breed.
If you choose this route to find your next companion animal, it is important to do your homework and purchase an animal from a reputable breeder.
Unfortunately, P.E.I. has its share of irresponsible breeders, as well. The P.E.I. Humane Society has seen a steady increase in concerns and complaints about breeding operations in P.E.I. Breeding operations are not licensed, with the exception of pet retail locations. Concerns about breeding operations are investigated under the Animal Welfare Act, focusing on the welfare of the animals according to the regulations and the relevant codes of practices, such as the Canadian Kennel Code.
Animal Protection Officers (APOs) investigate all complaints or concerns, assessing the operation based on the designated criteria.
As, with any pet owner, the APO prefer to educate the breeder regarding the requirements of the act and best practices for proper care of their animals, and then follow up to ensure they comply.
They may give the owner an order to comply based on the Animal Welfare Act, with time limits or specific requirements if there
are more serious concerns. If the animals are at serious risk or in poor condition, it may be necessary to seize them immediately in order to seek veterinary care.
There are many terms used to describe less reputable breeders such as backyard breeders, puppy mills, etc. Regardless of what they are called or how they get into breeding, the only way to keep companion animals safe from unacceptable practices is to avoid purchasing them and instead report concerns right away.
Many people feel compelled to rescue dogs from these less reputable breeders, so they purchase them to get them out of there. With two dogs in the back
yard, and even 10 mixed breed puppies, the owner/breeder could be making between $5,000 to $10,000 per year. They often provide no vaccinations, do not spay or neuter the litter and do no vet checks for their animals. These breeding operations may spread illness, resulting in costly vet bills for new owners, including some pets already in the home.
Some diseases are transferable to humans and may infect purchasers. These breeders have very little cost and no incentive to stop, which may result in further harm to the adults and their future litters. Choosing to walk away and report a questionable breeder is one of the best ways to stop this practice.
How do you know who is a good breeder?
Ask questions. Good breeders will check you out and encourage you to check them out as well. (See the information box for a good resource.)
If you have a concern about a breeder, please report it to the P.E.I. Humane Society at 902-8921191. All calls are confidential. Next month in Animal Talk: Ticks and Lyme disease Marla Somersall is executive director of the P.E.I. Humane Society, one of the member groups of the P.E.I. Companion Animal Welfare Initiative (CAWI). Animal Talk is a monthly column in The Guardian produced by CAWI, the goal of which is to improve the welfare of owned and unowned companion animals on P.E.I. Other members of CAWI are SpayAid, Cat Action Team, P.E.I. Veterinary Medical Association, PEI Department of Agriculture and Forestry, P.E.I. 4-H, and Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre at AVC. For more information, see gov.pe.ca/agriculture/CAWI. Readers may send questions related to the well-being of owned and unowned companion animals to askcawi@gmail.com.