Animal groups call for breeder to register business

Australia's leading animal protection group wants the City of Greater Geelong to force an Anakie dog breeder to register his business.

RSPCA chief executive Maria Mercurio also demanded the council apply the relevant legislation to ensure Robert Adamo's Demotts Rd property met the basic requirements of other dog breeding establishments.

Animal Liberation Victoria has also weighed into the debate, accusing the council of abandoning the dogs on Mr Adamo's property.

But the council has denied Mr Adamo needed to register his puppy farm with City Hall because he sold just a few litters a year to cover the cost of feeding his dogs, with up to 50 legally allowed at his home.

And Mr Adamo said he did not operate a puppy farm because he wouldn't sell his dogs to a pet shop.

"I would like to see council do their job, particularly in terms of enforcing the Domestic Animals Act," Ms Mercurio said.

"There is legislation in place and there is a mandatory code of practice and I would like to see council enforce that."

Ms Mercurio said the RSPCA was powerless to take animals out of puppy farms unless the operators were being cruel by denying animals food, water or shelter.

The council's statutory planning co-ordinator said officers received a complaint in November last year that Mr Adamo was operating a dog breeding establishment, but the complainant was not able to provide proof of its operations.

"Mr Adamo told us that he was only selling a very small number of puppies per year to cover the cost of the feed for the rest of the dogs," a council spokesman said.

But an investigation by the Geelong Advertiser has discovered Mr Adamo regularly advertises litters of puppies, some worth up to $6000, via internet-based trading sites and in newspapers.

Mr Adamo said he did not sell "many" puppies and because he didn't supply pet stores with dogs he could not be classified as a puppy farmer.
 

Reference: http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2010/04/02/160761_news.html

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