KUALA LUMPUR: SEVERAL non-governmental organisations consisting of animal lovers are calling for a uniform law to regulate dog breeding in the country.
They said while local councils enforce their respective bylaws for dog breeding centres, but enforcement is lacking.
SPCA Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal (SPCA) chief operating officer Lorna Fisher said with a specific law, confusion can be avoided and the authorities would have better guidelines for breeders and animal handlers, and ensure that dogs are not treated as goods to rake in money.
“The law may also apply to cat breeders.
“We usually get tip-offs from residents who suspect there are puppy mills in their neighbourhood. We will check out these places with the help of the authorities.
“We often find the puppy mills filthy and puppies with health problems,” said Fisher.
She said irresponsible dog breeders are only concerned about profits. Their premises lack facilities which are essential for the well-being of the dogs.
“A puppy can fetch between RM200 and RM3,000. This is a lucrative business and must be urgently regulated,” she said.
Fisher added there were cases where breeders locked their dogs in a small crate or in a dark room to force them to mate.
“Some breeders give sleeping drugs to keep the dogs quiet and high doses of antibiotics to keep the puppies from infection.”
She said unscrupulous breeders are known to force a bitch to produce up to 60 puppies.
In one case, the SPCA tried to rescue 38 puppies from a puppy mill but managed to save only six as the rest had to be put to sleep due to health complications.
She said if the puppies had survived or were not put to sleep they would have developed deformities later in life.
“Among the problems are eye infection, parvovirus infection, worms, rabies, canine distemper, hip dysplasia, joint deformities, as well as lung, heart, and bone problems.
“On our part, we advise would-be pet owners to adopt rather than spend their money buying puppies or kittens.”
Fisher urged pet owners to neuter their pets if they are not breeders.
Sunny K9 Academy chief executive officer Dr Sunny Tan suggested that the government set up a school for professional canine management.
“Course participants should be taught on how to breed dogs responsibly,” said Tan.
He advised potential dog owners to check on the animal’s lineage before buying the puppies.
“This to ensure that the dogs are of good quality and to avoid any health issues in future.
“It is not advisable to buy pets from night markets.”
A Veterinary Services Department spokesman said the department was studying the matter and there will be further discussions to look into the animal welfare act and stringent enforcement.
He said those looking for a pet or guard dog should be aware of the restricted and banned breeds to avoid future problems.
List of Banned/Restricted Breeds from Department of Veterinary Services:
Restricted
1. Bull Mastiff
2. Bull Terrier
3. Doberman
4. German Shepherd/Alsatian including Belgian Shepherd and East European Shepherd
5.Perro de Presa Canario (also known as Canary Dog)
6.Rottweiler
Banned
1.Akita
2.American Bulldog
3.Dogo Argentino
4.Fila Braziliero
5.Japanese Tosa
6.Neapolitan Mastiff
7.Pit Bull Terrier/Pit Bull (also known as American Pit Bull, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier and Staffordshire Bull Terrier)