Britain Bans Sale Of Puppies And Kittens In Pet Stores

Posted by Lisa Blanck | January 3, 2019

After a whopping 95 percent of public comments voiced support for ending the sale of puppies and kittens in pet stores, the British government confirmed that it will roll out the legislation in 2019. 

Anyone looking to purchase a kitten or puppy under six months old must either get one from a rescue shelter or directly from a private breeder.

From the time the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) took the first public comment to the rollout of the new law, it took just five months to get the legislation confirmed.  Animal Welfare Minister David Rutley hailed the campaign, entitled “Lucy’s Law“, saying in part,

“We promote responsible pet ownership in our welfare codes and I urge fellow animal lovers to consider the idea of rehoming a dog from the many wonderful organizations across the country.”

Britain’s newest ban comes on the heels of previous legislation rolled out in October 2018, which blocked licensed dealers from selling dogs and cats under eight weeks old.

Lucy’s Law was founded by Dr. Marc Abraham, a veterinarian in Brighton, after the 2016 death of Lucy, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Her case brought much-needed attention to the horrific neglect suffered by animals in puppy mills; Lucy exhibited debilitating health issues such as fused hips, a curved spine and malnutrition due to unscrupulous breeding practices.

A petition with more than 143,000 signatures in support of Lucy’s Law was presented to the government in May.  Major animal charities such as the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and celebrities including animal advocate Ricky Gervais were extremely supportive of the initiative. Earlier this year, in case any of his 13 million followers were considering adding a pet to their family, Mr. Gervais tweeted,

“This weekend plan a visit to your local rescue shelter, where your new best friend is waiting for you. #LucysLaw”.

In addition to promoting adoption, the new law will also tackle irresponsible breeding and sale of animals from puppy and kitten mills.  Dr. Abraham stated,

“Lucy’s Law will help end puppy farming, protect the future health and happiness of dogs like poor little Lucy, as well as encourage prospective pet owners to adopt from their local rescue shelter too.”

The British Government is also raising the bar on sentencing animal abusers, and has increased the Court’s ability to assign maximum sentences to up to five years, the harshest sentencing in Europe.

WAV Comment:  California once again setting the animal welfare standard in the US.  A very positive move – well done them.  Helping rescued animals and cutting down on specifically bred animals.

Californian law change means pet shops can sell only rescued animals

California is set to become the first state in the US to ban the sale of non-rescue animals in pet shops.

The new law, known as AB 485, takes effect on 1 January. Any businesses violating it face a $500 (£400) fine.

The change means cats, dogs and rabbits sold by retailers cannot be sourced from breeders, only from animal shelters.

Animal rights groups have heralded it as a step forward against so-called “kitten factories” and “puppy mills”.

They say the current “high-volume” industries, where pets are bred for profit, can lead to inhumane treatment and long-term emotional and physical health problems in some animals.

The new state-wide law, approved in late 2017, will now require shops to maintain sufficient records of where they sourced each animal, for periodic checks by authorities.

§  The story of a dog that sparked a campaign

§  The dogs without a home for Christmas

It does not, however, affect sales from private breeders or owner-to-owner sales.

Some Californian shop owners have raised concern the law could put them out of business. The measure has also seen resistance from the American Kennel Club, which said it limits pet owners.

According to American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) estimates, more than 6.5 million pets enter shelters across the country every year, of which about 1.5 million are put down.

The California assembly member who introduced the legislation, Patrick O’Donnell, has insisted the legislation is not just “a big win” for “four-legged friends”, but for California taxpayers too, as they spend hundreds of millions on sheltering animals across the state.

A couple hoping to adopt a cat from a San Diego shelter on Friday, told NBC News the move was a step forward for the state.

“It takes the emphasis off the profit of animals and puts the emphasis back on caring for and getting these cats and dogs a good home,” prospective owner Mitch Kentdotson said.

AB 485 is the first state-wide law of its kind, although other places have enacted similar regulations on pet sales on a local level.

Earlier this month, a similar ban on third-party puppy and kitten sales was confirmed in England.

Lucy’s law, named after a mistreated cavalier King Charles spaniel, also aims to combat low-welfare animal breeding.

Source – BBC News – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-46717173

Image Credit: Cris Mamprim

When homeless man César walked into the Hospital Regional Alto Vale in Brazil to seek medical treatment at 3 AM on a Sunday, his friends came along to show their support.

Only these were no ordinary buddies — they were his loyal canine companions, who anxiously gathered at the door of the clinic.

César was seeking help for an ongoing medical problem and hospital staff were amazed at the manners and good health of the dogs patiently waiting for their guardian.

Worker Cris Mamprin took snaps of the beautiful pups, marveling at their dedication and condition.

“They are all well taken care of and chubby,” said Mamprin. “Seeing them like that, waiting at the door, only shows how much they are cared for and loved.”

While César received treatment, the staff allowed the dogs in to keep him company, offering food to both them and their caring guardian, who confessed that he often goes without food to make sure the dogs can eat.

Touched by this close-knit family living on the streets, Mamprin shared the snaps on social media, where they quickly went viral.

“He has the best companions with him,” she said. “I do not know what his life is like, or why he’s on the street, but I admire the respect and love he has for his little animals.”

In America, an estimated 5-10 percent of homeless people have pets.

Although they are often criticized for keeping an animal when they can’t afford to support themselves, those who work with them reveal that many homeless people take better care of their animals than they do themselves.

Just like any companion animal at home, these “homeless companions” provide a sense of connection, family, and security to those who desperately need it.

“The need for companionship is just as important as the need for food or shelter,” says author Danielle Wolfe. “Taking care of others reinforces our purpose for living.

We are more than pleased to have a monthly standing order with Harmony; so that so many strays in need the world over can be cared for a little more.

Please join up or give them a donation if you can – thanks – WAV.

Harmony Fund Website – https://harmonyfund.org/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/HarmonyFundAnimalRescue/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/harmonyfund?lang=en

With their knees pressed against the snowy ground, our rescue volunteers are pouring bag after bag of kibble and coaxing hundreds of frightened dogs and cats to have something to eat as they begin another winter day.

The animals we feed congregate in landfills, cemeteries, factory complexes, empty fields and at the forests’ edge. Our street feeding programs are not the most heralded part of our work, but they are absolutely critical in supporting the comfort and survival of animals awaiting rescue.

There is always a steady flow of animals welcomed into the rescue program, but we can only take more of them in when others are adopted out.

During the “waiting period” we give homeless animals the simplest form of human kindness. We bring them food to make sure they are not searching for their next meal, which often results in days with nothing palatable to eat. When we offer them meals, the animals have far less exposure to the wind and snow. They can eat and then hunker down in their hiding places. It truly makes a huge difference. And in the near future, we hope to expand community spay/neuter operations to sterilize higher numbers of homeless animals.

Your ongoing donations are the only reason we will be able to buy more food at the end of the month to begin this mission all over again in January. We are more thankful than words could ever say.

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Bosnian native Naida Kaltak is a 365-day-a-year hero who leaves very early each morning, often before the sun is up, so that she can bring meals to animals before she goes to work.

“The weather is terrible with temperatures below freezing,” said volunteer Nancy Wilkinson who helps us translate conversations with Naida. “Thankfully the kennels are insulated, but it is the poor strays we worry so much about. The strays especially need food these days to help keep warm and to make sure that, if nothing else, they have full tummies. Naida has to travel on foot to many locations, and even for her at home, the water is frozen. Life is not easy at the best of times, but in these conditions…”

“There are two mums and seven pups that are at the garbage dump,” Nancy explained. “Naida has been feeding them but she knows the pups, at least, will not survive the winter. She can’t possibly take them all in unless she has funds to cover their costs.”

“Naida is drowning in debt and now there are injured puppies,” Nancy continued. “She doesn’t take every dog she sees but some just can’t be left. The first dog has two broken legs after being hit by a car and couldn’t move. The second boy was also hit by a car and if she hadn’t taken him, his injuries would have become infected and he surely would have lost his life after suffering a great deal. The third tiny boy was hiding by the rubbish bins in the middle of Sarajevo and sadly many people saw him and just walked by. He has a broken scapula. The fourth is a little girl, again no one stepped up, she has a broken femur.”

We would like to send Naida a donation next week to get more dogs to safety, to cover some of the big veterinary expenses for the animals struck by cars and to help her continue her daily rounds at the edge of the forest where many homeless dogs are living.
Click Here to Donate to Naida’s Rescues

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It has been a very good year for the dogs at Sasha’s free-running dog sanctuary in Serbia. As winter begins to dust the ground with snow, the dogs are in their best possible condition as nourishing food is flowing. But even more exciting is the news that adoptions are picking up and we hope to find homes for 150 dogs over the next twelve months.

“For the first time, five shelter dogs went to Sweden,” Sasha said earlier this week. “Starting in January, our rescue partner there has agreed to adopt 10 of our dogs each month. And in December alone, 19 dogs were adopted to homes in Belgium. I am so happy that a large number of dogs will find their warm homes now and in 2019.”

“Every year, the number of dogs has increased, since the situation around the adoptions was far worse than it is now,” Sasha continues. “But our teammates at the Dog Happiness organization in Belgium promote new adoptions and collect resources for additional feeding, hay, wood, equipment for workers, parasite tablets, ampoules against fleas, new dog houses and so forth. Without that help I do not want to imagine what the overall situation would be. They sacrifice their annual vacations and all their free time to help dogs, they give me great support, strength and will to solve all problems related to shelter. And the main pillar that keeps entire shelter up is, of course, the Harmony Fund. You have unconditionally helped the last 5 years and I am very happy to work together with you to create the best possible conditions for the dogs. I am convinced that life does not happen randomly. We were brought together for a purpose.”

As the year draws to a close, we want to offer all of you our very deepest thanks. Together we have made a difference of hundreds of Serbian dogs and will continue to do so for many years to come. Your donations are helping us to be sure the dogs have ample food, shelter, veterinary care and protection-from-cruelty. They play with balls, they explore the grounds and they even enjoy some home cooked meals. All of this is made possible through your kindness.

100 Dogs Saved from Dog Meat Smugglers in Nanjing, China

Image Credit: Ping An A Fu

Police intercepted a vehicle packed full of dogs destined to be slaughtered for the dog meat trade in Nanjing, China last week.

Heading from the Henan province in central China to Hangzhou, the vehicle was detained because the driver did not have the documentation required for transporting the dogs and could not prove where they had come from.

The police called upon Nanjing’s largest animal rescue center, Ping An A Fu (meaning Peace and Luck), to assist with rescuing the dogs. On arrival, staff from the organization discovered 108 medium to large dogs stuffed into only nine tiny wire cages.

The malnourished, hungry and stressed animals were taken to safety at Ping An A Fu’s center in the Pukou district to be quarantined. There, they received comfortable beds made of hay, water, food, and medical care.

Although all the rescued dogs survived that first night, some died later due to other medical problems.

“Most of the dogs are healthy now although some still need continued medical attention,” said Lu, a volunteer for Ping An A Fu. “Deaths were simply unavoidable as the conditions of some of the dogs when we received them were just too dire.”

Staff at the rescue center report that most of the dogs are friendly and comfortable around people, indicating that they may be beloved family pets that were swiped off the street for the horrific dog meat trade — a common occurrence throughout China.

“If it is not for the police who enforced laws strictly and saved the dogs from meat dealers, these 108 dogs would have been meat dishes,” the organization posted on Facebook.

Although animal advocates estimate that the popularity of eating dog meat throughout Asia is decreasing, around 20 percent of China’s population continues to consume it, believing it to be good for their health. Their consumption accounts for half the dogs slaughtered in Asia every year.

Thanks to the Nanjing police and the amazing team at Ping An A Fu — who currently care for more than 10,000 animals — these lucky pooches will be heading for a much better life.