Friday, October 14, 2011

Tearing apart puppy farm websites is good way to spend rainy evening

This evening chose to tear apart Banksia Park Puppies.  Is place that has had sordid past.  Once called ACA Kennels, but changed name because many people realized that was bad place.  But is still bad place, even with new name. 



Is large place.  Has 330 breeding dogs and between 250 and 400 puppies at any one time.  And only a handful of staff!  5 full time, 5 casual, 1 groomer, and 4 vets on rotating basis.  Can not imagine!  over 600 dogs, with about 8 workers per day!  Amounts to 250 working hours per week.  250 human working hours a week?  600 dogs at any time?  Poor dogs, when can get social time with lovely human?  Only for about 25 minutes per week, and is ignoring fact that workers also must clean and feed and answer phones.

According to Banksia Park, pens for dogs are "4 to 5 times the minimum size recommended in the code of practice".  Code of practice says for to have minimum 10 square meters for dog 40 to 70 centimeters.  Is about size of room of Jacinta.  4 times that?  Really not much space to live entire life.  Would get frustrated and so bored.  At Banksia Park, when dogs get bored and try to escape, dogs get zapped with electric wire.

Puppy factories lie much about what goes on.  As Jacinta explained yesterday while was finishing up an essay, puppy farmers like to give public false truth and false choice so that can feel are making educated decision.  Such is the way when Banksia Park gives information about numbers of dogs and even daily routine.  But are many flaws in daily routine.

First, "The day at Banksia Park starts [at 6am] with an overall inspection of the newborn nursery to see if there have been any new arrivals during the night."  WHAT?!?!  Incredible!  Can not imagine, that workers are not on call while could be puppies being born.  Know would never happen on puppy farm.  But is necessary.  What if are complications?  Mother or pups could die, and often surely do.  Is so difficult to keep close eye on dogs when are nearing whelping date and have person stay with?  Suppose, probably is.  With up to 400 puppies on site, can assume that 50 each are born per week and each stays for 8 weeks.  Can assume from that, that are 10 litters being born per week at Banksia Park!  Starting day with overall inspection?  Wrong, wrong, wrong!

Second, at 7am the mums go outside to have "the day's first feed of Pedigree Pal dog food".  Pedigree Pal?  Is scum food.  Is mostly full of corn.  Many dogs allergic to corn!  Does not even have meat as first ingredient, but second, followed by more corn, plenty of preservatives, and some wheat which many dogs also allergic to.  And meat is not even good meat.  Is "meat and bone meal".  Not only to mention all this, but are assuming mums are pregnant or lactating.  Is very very important, for to feed pregnant and lactating mums puppy food, not grown-up food!

Third, by 10am, few workers that are have made it to non-pregnant dogs to feed.  These dogs do not get to go out into outdoor runs.  "Depending on the day, they may be having anything from fresh chicken, red meat and beef bones to Pedigree Pal dry food."  This is not balanced diet!  Is very important, for to have all good vitamins and minerals, especially in dogs that are expected to breed so much.

At 2pm, "the mums... spend another 2.5 hours outside and away from their puppies."  Hope this is after weaning!  Could not imagine for to spend so long away from mum at 2 or 3 or 4 weeks, or even until after 5 or 6 weeks!  Until then, so love to see mummy.  Sure, 15 minute breaks throughout the day, but 2.5 hours is too too long!

One thing must admit to, Banksia Park insists that mums only give birth twice in 18 months, as is law.Say 250 to 400 puppies at any time, is 30 to 50 puppies born per week, is on average 6 to 10 litters per week.  Means takes about 37 weeks for all dogs to have litter of puppies.  Means that could potentially be following law, but only very much on the line.  For to work out here, must probably be inducing heat in mums in time for to breed the most.  Otherwise would imagine would have slightly fewer litters due to mums who regularly go into heat every 6 months and therefore miss the 9 month cutoff by 3 months.  Seems very suspicious.

Oh, rain has stopped, and am now feeling sleepy.  Must try to stop thinking about poor puppies and grown up dogs who are treated as items for to be made money with.  Will instead be happy that have a great sidekick to snuggle!




1 comment:

  1. Rip 'em up, Vertigo. We need to see an end to these sorts of places, let's get the word out buddy. Oh, but I'd be surprised if puppies spent eight weeks with their mama... I bet they get rid of them at five weeks old, six at best :(

    ReplyDelete

Have been so confused! So love to meet new people, but not all people introduce selves. Please to be commenting with registered account so that can get to know! When know each other, will moderate comment onto site!