pigs and rescue organisations

At the Melbourne Pet Expo, the emphasis was on dogs, but there were quite a few rescue organisations who don't focus only on canines. One of the most famous around here is Edgar's Mission, so when I saw this elegant creature saying hello to people, I thought I might have met the famous Edgar himself.

But it seems Edgar died some time ago, after a peaceful life at the Mission, and this was Polly. (As I should have realised, if I had looked closely.)

Of course, Oscar's Law was represented at the Expo, also.

And Melbourne Animal Rescue.

We want Oscar's Law to be implemented fully

I'm feeling wrung out, because I've just watched all the video clips on the Oscar's Law site. It's a site devoted to the fight to abolish the cruel trade of puppy farming.

Today I attended the Oscar's Law rally on the steps of the Victorian Parliament.

After listening to the speakers, I gathered that there has been a law passed in Victoria, but there have not been any prosecutions. (I'm not entirely sure I've got that right, but I did understand from all speakers that the government has not followed up on their promises with either money or resources.)

When I forced myself to watch the videos, I was disappointed to realise that we haven't ended the conditions in which dogs are starving to death, dying of preventable cancers, going insane, suffering endlessly.

I thought the suggestion in the following clip sounded helpful  - that puppies should have to come with certification that says the breeding facility has been inspected by the RSPCA and is suitable and humane.

WARNING: the video segment is very sad and disturbing.



Here are a few photos from the rally:

the story of Oscar

With all the publicity lately about the push to bring in a law to protect dogs from cruel treatment in puppy farms - Oscar's Law - I looked around to find why the law is named after Oscar.

Warning - I cried when I read it. But Oscar WAS rescued.

In the report on Oscar, Debra Tranter, his saviour, says that she now realises that many of us can't cope with confronting images of suffering dogs and that we need to have hope that change can happen:

Tranter had been running Prisoners for Profit, an anti-puppy factory campaign that “bombarded people with horrific images”, which she now believes were too confronting.

“With Oscar’s Law, I feel I need to reach ordinary people with dogs, not necessarily dog people. I want it to be positive and empowering,” she says.

“Oscar’s Law aims to abolish puppy factory-farming and the selling of dogs in pet shops, but it’s not about showing negative images all the time and making it seem hopeless,” she explains. Tranter believes success will come from enabling consumers to make informed choices, so people know that if they buy from a pet shop, their money will keep dogs in those sheds.

I don't know Penny's breeder and can only hope we have not supported a puppy farmer. But as far as we know, she came from a suburban home in Melbourne, from a breeder known to our vet. (We bought her from the vet.)

dogs as commodities

I was speaking yesterday to another dog owner about the horrors of puppy farming. He seemed a little defensive, replying that his dog was a wonderful companion, with a great temperament, even though the dog had come from a pet shop. (For brevity's sake let's call his dog Ben.)

A surprising reaction at first, but on second thoughts I understood where he was coming from. The anti-dog-farming movement needs to get the message out that it's not only the puppies we are concerned about. I said to him, 'Yes, but Ben's mother is possibly suffering agonies as we speak. Ben is sitting here on his comfortable armchair while his mother perhaps lies cold and lonely in a concrete pen, thrown enough food each day to keep her alive, possibly ill but well enough to live until her next litter is delivered.'

I hope I made a difference to his thinking. I didn't realise until I went to the rally last Sunday that there is an issue with legal puppy farms, because of the lack of regulation to protect the 'livestock'. I had thought it was only the illegal puppy farms that were problematic.

In view of the problems here in Victoria, I thought it was timely to get an email from the new vet who is blogging at Fully Vetted (taking over from Dr Patty Khuly). She wrote about the fact that Pet Sellers in Michigan in the US may have to guarantee the health of animals they sell. In her discussion she quoted an article from dvm360

Pet owners in Michigan may soon have the opportunity to “return” sick or diseased animals to their place of purchase if proposed legislation passes.

Senate Bill 547, introduced Aug. 24 and immediately referred to the committee on regulatory reform, would apply only to dogs and cats sold from pet shops, breeders or other places where pets are sold for profit.

According to legislation, pet owners may return an animal for full price, exchange the animal for one of equal value, or be reimbursed for any veterinary expenses as long as they don’t exceed the original purchase price of the animal. If the animal dies, the owner is entitled to a replacement plus reimbursement of veterinary fees, as long as they don’t exceed the original purchase price, or a full refund, according to legislation.

If passed, the law would apply when a veterinarian states in writing that the animal displayed symptoms of a contagious or infectious disease 30 days from purchase and that the disease or illness existed at the time of sale or when a veterinarian states in writing that the dog or cat has died or is sick from a hereditary or congenital defect.

I have mixed feelings about this legislation. Dogs aren't commodities. But perhaps this kind of legislation might bring puppy farmers out from the shadows into the light.

On the news the other night a puppy farmer was interviewed and her attitude to the dogs in her 'care' was horrifying. She does appear for a moment in this Sunrise News clip. (I can't see any way to avoid the advertisement before the clip - sorry.)

more about the Oscar's Law rally

At the rally on the steps of State Parliament today we listened to a variety of inspiring and interesting speakers, about the horrors of puppy farming.





Then we set off along the street to Treasury Gardens. I think it's important to take to the streets when holding a rally, because in stopping the traffic, or diverting it, we show that as a society we are willing to take time out from normal life to think about an important issue - in this case, the fact that Australia is disgraced every time a dog suffers in the hell of a puppy factory.



When we reached the gardens, there were lots of marquees representing the organisations devoted to the welfare of animals. Great to see so many exist!







I've brought home the hand sign we held at the rally and put it on my letter box. Maybe people passing by our house will wonder what 'Oscar's Law' is. This is what the Oscar's Law petition asks of our political leaders:

To the Legislative assembly of Victoria The petition of the residents of Victoria brings to the attention of the House the hidden industry behind the pet shop window. Puppy factories farm puppies and sell them to pet shops and trade them online. The dogs are often kept in cramped filthy conditions for their entire lives and their behavioural needs are never met. The dogs not only suffer physically but are psychologically traumatised due to confinement and constant breeding, when they are no longer able to breed they are killed and replaced.
The petitioners therefore request that the Legislative Assembly of Victoria support Oscar's Law and abolish puppy factories and ban the sale of factory farmed companion animals from pet shops and online.

On the Dogs Life site I read an overview of the debate about the sale of puppies in pet shops and thought it covered the subject well.

Oscar's Law - ban puppy farms

When I went to the City today to join in the rally against puppy farms, I left Penny at home. But plenty of others took their dogs.







Sitting in the sunshine, I chatted to the lady next to me about the fact that it's hard to see images of suffering dogs.



But we agreed -and one of the speakers emphasised - that we have to face the awful truth that terrible things happen to dogs so that we can buy cute puppies in pet shops. The rally was urged to make a resolution never to buy a dog from a pet shop.