Dog breeding

A retrospective plan to turn a builder’s yard into commercial kennels has been canceled by East Ayrshire Council’s planning committee.

The refusal comes after locals railed against plans submitted by Ms Willamena Brown, with a majority complaining about the site’s barking noise.

A neighbor even claimed that the puppy noise started as early as 5 a.m. and could continue late into the night.

The 2,200m² site, currently classified as a construction site, just off Brown Street in Newmilns, is sandwiched between an electricity distribution site and a factory.

At the planning meeting, it emerged that a probe had been launched at the site after complaints were made about dog farming on the site.

Fiona Finlay, head of the council’s development management team, said: ‘Complaints were received by the planning department on November 21 over allegations of dog farming on the site.

“Following an investigation by the Planning Enforcement Officer, the current application has been received. The application form indicates that the applicant was unaware that planning permission was required.”

Council officers recommended that the application be denied because no noise impact study had been provided and the development was not “compatible” with the surrounding environment.

Paul Gilchrist, Environmental Health Officer, added: “In reviewing this application, the Environmental Health Officer has considered the nature of the development and the surrounding environment and has expressed concern about the unacceptable noise impact of the development, in especially in terms of barking dogs.

“Commercial premises give rise to complaints of excessive noise and over the past few weeks we have received a number of complaints relating to dog barking from these particular premises.”

Mr Gilchrist said that until a noise impact assessment could be provided and assessed, the department’s objection remained in place.

George Mair, who was a councilor when the meeting took place in April, said he was ‘really concerned’ that the council’s planning department and licensing section were tied ‘in knots’ because the claimant owns already a dog breeder’s license.

Since the development management section of the planning department was moved to governance departments in September last year, Mr Mair said objections to breeders’ licenses should be raised at the planning stage.

The app site is associated with a website called “Puppies R Us” which, according to their site, sells six different breeds of dogs “at different times” including: Cocker Spaniel puppies, Cockapoo puppies, Labrador puppies , Labradoodle puppies, Poodle puppies. and Goldendoodle puppies. The company is a licensed dog breeder.

A total of 18 objections were made and the councilors adopted the proposal to deny the request.

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Bewdley Farm owners have appealed after their dog breeding plans were rejected by the local council. The application, submitted to Wyre Forest District Council last year, proposed to change Northwood Farm’s land use from farming to ‘commercial dog keeping’.

The owners of the farm, located on the outskirts of town, have also offered to replace the existing kennels with a single kennel block which would include an office and storage room. However, the planning application was rejected later that year for a number of reasons, including concerns about increased barking and the impact the new kennel would have on the green belt.

According to the council: “The physical size and position of the building, results in a structure that does not harmonize with the surrounding landscape and significantly impedes the openness to the landscape and the green belt. The change of use would represent an encroachment of the countryside.”

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It continues: “Intensified use of the site would lead to an unacceptable sound level of barking dogs which would have a detrimental impact on (…) neighboring properties due to unacceptable noise pollution. The council officers’ report added: ‘The welfare of the dogs is of the utmost importance and there are animal welfare dog breeding regulations with which applicants must comply.’

The farm owners have now appealed the decision, saying the proposed building would be “far superior” in design to existing kennels. They added that new animal welfare regulations meant that upgraded buildings were urgently needed.

Their appeal states: “In the eyes of the appellant, the new building is a visual enhancement of the environment of the existing buildings which are currently detrimental to the landscape, and it is difficult to perceive them otherwise. No noise pollution was reported on the site. operator before 2021 reliably indicating that the site does not generate noise pollution.

“This particular use of dog breeding does not cause any nuisance as evidenced by the lack of complaints registered over an extended period. The origin of the complaints is unclear.

“No account appears to have been taken of neighboring dogs or pet dogs by the owner or neighbors. The new building is far superior in design, materials, construction and noise abatement materials than other previously used buildings.”

A decision on the appeal has not yet been rendered.

I love devlogs, those messy blogs where game creators crack open the egg of video games to show you the yolk of development. Errors, dead ends, iterations; they illuminate the difficulties of creation, and they are entertaining to boot.

I like dogs too. I’ve written so much while writing about the horrible rectangular dogmorphs from a particular devlog – doglog? levdog? – in 2016. Those early GIFs would become Wobbledogs, a pet sim in which you breed mutant dogs. It has now left Early Access.

Singer Will Young has handcuffed himself to the doors of a puppy farm in support of ‘Camp Beagle’.

The Pop Idol star, who attended Exeter University before rising to fame by winning Pop Idol in 2002, was pictured sitting outside the Cambridgeshire facility today (November 16) while holding a banner that says “Cambridgeshire famous for Beagle torture thanks to MBR”.

Police attended the scene and after speaking to the singer, he removed the handcuffs and joined another group of activists.

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After the photo was posted on Camp Beagle’s social media – which campaigns against the use of dog breeding – Facebook users have since called him a ‘hero’ and ‘legend’ for his actions .

One person wrote: “Good man, come on, other celebs with compassion join in – it would soon get the mass attention it deserves.”

Another also said: “Awesome! What a legend!”

A third person added, “Thank you @willyoung for all you do for animals.”

A fourth wrote: “I have serious respect for him as a compassionate human being ready to take a stand to end the brutal and absolutely unnecessary torture of kind and sensitive animals.

“I take my hat off to you Mr Young.”

Video posted to the Camp Beagle Facebook post shows other protesters at the Huntingdon facility joining Will Young in the fight against animal abuse.

Other banners at the protest say such things as “Gates Of Hell” and “Shut Down MBR Acres”.

Camp Beagle says up to 2,000 beagles are kept at MBR Acres, before being shipped out in crates when they are 16 weeks old.

MBR Acres is owned by Marshall BioResources, a global supplier of biomedical research animals for decades.

CambridgeshireLive reports that they do not dispute the details of Stop Animal Cruelty Huntingdon – including that puppies are trained to accept a gas mask over their face and present their paw for injections – and have accepted “continued public interest in its business activities”.

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The growing demand for dogs in the UK has caused a darker side effect, namely the growth of puppy farms or unregistered ‘barnyard’ breeders, which can have heartbreaking implications for future owners.

Since the end of 2019, the dog population in the UK has increased by almost 50%, from 9.5 million dogs to 12.5 million according to a survey carried out by the Pet Food Manufacturers Association.

This is largely due to the fact that many people are adopting or buying dogs to keep them company during the Covid-19 pandemic, but this increase is also correlated with a greater demand for puppies, allowing puppy farms to thrive. .

As the PDSA published on their website: “A puppy farm is where several dogs are continually bred and the puppies sold. They are kept in poor conditions because the “breeders” do not care about their health and happiness.

“They are very different from reputable breeders. Usually, reputable breeders will only breed one or two different breeds at a time and should put the health of their puppies and mothers above a quick profit.

“Puppy farms tend to have many more breeds than that available, and dogs from puppy farms can get sick, which can lead to heartache for unwitting owners who adopt them.”

The RSPCA said it received 4,357 calls in 2018 alerting it to potential cases in England, up from 890 in 2008, a number that has been rising since.

Several measures have been put in place to try to combat the crisis, but they are by no means definitive.

Lucy’s Law, which was introduced in April 2020, meant that all third-party sales of puppies six months or younger would be banned, in a bid to crack down on puppy farms and other untrustworthy sellers.

This law means that puppies must be sold by the breeder, from where they were born with their mother.

However, that hasn’t stopped breeders from trying to cash in on this market boom by continuing their illegal activities and tricking hopeful dog owners into buying puppies that were bred contrary to the law. ethically and even cruelly, which can lead to health complications later.

TeamDogs have put together a guide to spotting a potential unethical breeder and what to do when you think you’ve encountered one.

How to recognize a puppy farm

It’s not always obvious that you’re potentially buying a dog from a puppy farm, so watch out for some important signs every step of the way.

First of all, where are the advertised puppies? If the ad is posted on social media, where is it shared? For example, if the ad is posted in a regulated group with moderators who have not deleted the post, it could be considered more legitimate than if it is shared on someone’s personal page or on a “story of social media.

However, generally speaking, any dogs advertised on social media that are not from a trusted breeder or rescue center are more likely to come from breeders with no relevant background or experience.

Also, see how often the breeder advertises for puppies – if they seem to have regular litters for sale and many different breeds, that could also be a bad sign.

Make sure you don’t hand over any form of bail until you’ve seen the dog yourself and have all the correct information in place.

When you visit the seller, you must complete a series of checks to establish their legitimacy.

If they ask to meet in a public place rather than at their home or meeting place, that can be a big red flag.

Other noticeable warning signs can be if the house is dirty, if there are many other outbuildings, or if areas are cordoned off without any explanation.

Listen for the sounds of many other dogs, especially those in distress.

However, sellers can sometimes rent spaces to sell their puppies, so check that it appears that dogs live there and that the animals are comfortable in their surroundings.

The RSPCA has practical advice for the right questions to ask a breeder, including to see if their ID matches the listing, and to show their local authority license if they breed and sell pets as a business .

They must also be able to provide authentic documents/certificates for puppy vaccinations, microchipping – which is a legal requirement – worming and results of any health tests if applicable.

A good breeder should also ask you questions: if he cares about the well-being of his animals, he must hope to put them in the right place.

They should also be happy to use The Puppy Contract if you both agree, this is a free toolkit developed by the AWP and RSPCA that helps protect both breeders and buyers.

Finally, the puppies themselves.

The dog’s health is paramount, so check that he has a wet but not runny nose, clear, shiny eyes and a healthy coat, and is not in visible distress.

Sellers should also be able to address any health concerns you may have with the puppy and produce relevant vaccination paperwork, if required.

Can you see the puppy with its mom and with the rest of the litter? A common tactic of puppy breeders is to separate the puppy from its mother too soon and only show one puppy at a time.

It should also be the same litter you have seen in the advertisements.

The best advice is that if you’re feeling bad, you probably are.

What should I do if I think this is a puppy farm?

If you think the seller is unethical or running a puppy farm, the first thing to do is leave, as difficult as that may be.

As tempting as it is to save a dog from a potential situation, it is far better to leave and let the proper authorities deal with the breeder.

You can report the ad on the website it is on, seeking to have it removed, and report any license violations to your local council.

If you think the dogs’ welfare needs are not being met, you should report this directly to the RSPCA, but if you witness animal abuse directly, you can call the police to deal with the matter.

Like The dog club summarizes: “All puppies are cute, and unless the puppy itself is dirty or has a visible medical condition, there’s no way to tell from just the look of the dog what condition they’re in. been raised, or what they will look like when they grow up.

“Before handing over any money, make sure you are absolutely confident that you are dealing with a responsible breeder.

“Be sure to ask all the questions you need to make sure the breeder is trustworthy.”

New dog breeding standards and stricter license conditions are being developed in Carmarthenshire to help regulate the growing industry.

The council also promotes a licensed breeding system and wants the public’s help in reporting unauthorized commercial breeding.

A report presented to the council’s environmental and public protection review committee said organized crime was involved in the sector nationwide.

At a meeting, councilors heard that dogs from Eastern Europe and Ireland had been transported to Carmarthenshire for sale.

Cllr Philip Hughes, executive board member for public protection, said it was an emotional issue that was flagged in a recent BBC Wales documentary.

“I think it’s fair to say that as an authority, we haven’t done particularly well in this program,” he said.

But he said he believed Carmarthenshire was the most proactive authority to deal with ever-growing dog licensing issues.

He added: “We are in the process of developing new trading standards and strengthening licensing conditions, and these will be presented in the coming weeks.”

Carmarthenshire has 85 licensed dog breeders, of which around 10 have over 100 dogs.

A council official told the meeting that another 43 illegal breeders had been identified recently, mostly by monitoring social media and some internet sales platforms.

Successful prosecutions have brought in £275,000 for the authority in the past two years alone through the Proceeds of Crime Act.

The council has regulatory responsibility for licensing breeders who raise three or more litters in a 12 month period. It also licenses pet stores and dealers and investigates commercial breeding and pet store welfare issues.

Officers are giving advice to breeders – and have refused 23 licenses in 2019-20 so far, compared to nine refusals in 2018-19.

The committee was told that the legal process was slow, with court warrants needed to enter the property of someone who was not a licensed trader.

An officer said: “We have to be very sure before entering private property.

“We understand that there are private homes that are being used as breeding facilities, and we are taking active action.

“But the legal system is not a quick process.”

The officer also said council officials were meeting with the Welsh Government shortly to discuss the issues.

Welsh ministers are currently drafting legislation that would prohibit third parties such as pet shops or commercial dealers from selling puppies and kittens, unless they raise the animals themselves.

Carmarthenshire Council wants to focus its resources on illegal dog breeding, monitoring online activity and improving standards.

The review report said 18 breeders were eligible for its Certified Breeder Program, which would reassure buyers and boost the reputation of sellers.

Cllr Joseph Davies said if every buyer demanded to see a puppy with its mother, illegal breeding would be stamped out.

Cllr Hughes said: “We try to encourage breeders to join this ‘buy with confidence’ scheme.

“To get there, it’s a pretty rigid process. You have to have some checks done.”

He also said it’s frustrating that people who know about illegal farming don’t come forward to authorities.

Cllr Mansel Charles called for an investigative inquiry into the illegal breeding of dogs to be set up, but it was decided that a working committee and finishing group would be set up instead.

Committee chairman Cllr John James said the public had a role to play and added that many dog ​​breeders complied with the regulations.

Cllr Hughes said after the meeting that he didn’t think the documentary program portrayed Authority in a good light, given the work he was doing.