Stuck in the dog house
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E-mail China Daily, December 2, 2013
Unlicensed commercial breeding
“These figures strongly suggest that these self-proclaimed private pet owners are very likely not hobby breeders. Rather, they are breeding dogs for commercial purpose,” said the AFCD in a consultation document.
The proposed changes would require everyone who breeds and sells a dog to acquire one of three types of license. The first would cover a one-off sale by a genuine pet owner. The second, called an Animal Breeders License Category A, would be aimed at the hobby breeder types with four or less female breeding dogs.
The third, the Animal Breeders License Category B, would be for breeders keeping five or more female dogs and would be subject to more stringent requirements.
There would also be stiffer penalties for breaches of licenses, and a Code of Practice to cover physical health and behavioral requirements of the dogs, food and exercise, and limit the number of litters per female to three in a two year period.
An AFCD spokesperson said it was still in talks with individual animal groups and dog trade associations, but claimed in the public consultation exercise more than 80 per cent of respondents supported the proposals, although some groups had reservations on some its aspects.
Among those who support the proposed amendments is the Asia for Animals Coalition, which comprises 13 groups including the SPCA. In a letter to Dr Ko Wing-man, the secretary for food and health, the coalition applauded the move.
However, it also urged the government to address issues such as capping the number of dogs a Category B breeder could keep, limiting the number of litters to one a year per female dog, and imposing minimum and maximum ages for breeding females.
The SPCA’s Sandy Macalister agrees with the coalition that the proposals lacked sufficient details but says they are a good first step to regulate the dog breeding trade and were deserving of support.
“I think the government needs to see a positive response before they take the next step,” he warned. “Otherwise it could be three years, four years or five years before these breeders are regulated.
“In the meantime, the hobby breeders can carry on and sadly we will get more cases like the one earlier this month.”
The main stumbling block to gaining the universal support of animal NGOs is the number of licenses proposed.
David Wong of Animal Earth, one of the 20 plus NGOs making up 139B Concern Group, which opposes the amendments, said one license — not three — was the way to ensure all dogs were treated the same by requiring all breeders to comply with the same strict regulations.
“Our original position is that we are against any sort of license being issued to breeders at all, whether private, hobby breeders or commercial,” said Wong.
“We had a long discussion and we came up with a compromise which we call our one-license position.
“We are willing to accept the government issuing licenses but we believe it should be only one type so all dogs involved in breeding will be treated the same.”
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The SPCA Executive Director Sandy Macalister (left) speaks at the Boycott the Bad Breeder campaign launched this year to educate the public on breeding practices and pet buyer’s right and responsibility. |
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