Some advocates call for stronger protections under new Ontario puppy mills law

As the Ford government proposes a new law to crack down on puppy mills across Ontario, there are calls to beef up the protections contained in the legislation.

“I have been speaking with many members of the animal welfare community, of the rescue community, and everyone is very disappointed with this inadequate legislation. So I anticipate a very, very big push to amend this bill to better protect animals,” Camille Labchuk, a lawyer and the executive director of the advocacy group Animal Justice, told CityNews.

“We’re encouraged that the government introduced it in the first place. It shows that they are sensitive to the fact that people are demanding change and an end to puppy mills, so I really hope that we’ll be able to have some collaborative discussions.”

Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner introduced the Preventing Unethical Puppy Sales Act (PUPS) Act at Queen’s Park on Monday.

Government officials said the PUPS Act aims to stop puppy mills, which are situations where dogs are overbred in poor conditions, through measures such as banning the breeding of female dogs more than three times every two years or more than two litters in consecutive heat cycles, banning the breeding of female dogs under a year old, requiring dogs with contagious diseases to stay away from other animals, and requiring sanitary environments free of waste.

Under the proposed law, which still needs to work through the Ontario legislature, there will be minimum fines of $10,000 for those convicted of operating a puppy mill. The minimum fine will rise to $25,000 if a dog dies.

Regulations still need to be drafted on conditions for selling or transferring dogs and for record-keeping.

Provincial officials also said they’re going to conduct consultations on the Provincial Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) Act as it relates to conducting medically unnecessary procedures (e.g. declawing and tail docking) and to creating new financial penalties. The Ford government brought in the PAWS Act, which consolidated animal cruelty laws and enforcement, in 2020.

Labchuk said her organization wasn’t consulted ahead of the release of the PUPS Act. She said puppy mills are a massive problem because, in part, there isn’t a licensing regime for dog breeders.

“We don’t know where puppy mills are operating right now because they’re not overseen by the province,” Labchuk said.

“We get evidence all the time about burns, about basements full of mother dogs being used to pump out litter after litter of puppies — often in squalid, filthy conditions that are covered in urine and feces, matted fur, and often kept on tiny, wire floor cages — and unfortunately, this is a situation that has festered for decades.”

She said the measures contained in the PUPS Act are helpful but won’t solely address the problem. Labchuk said licensing, proactive inspection by provincial enforcement officers, a limit on the number of dogs being used for breeding and better, well-defined standards (e.g. space, housing, socialization, exercise, veterinary care, etc.) are needed.

“We see all the time sick and diseased dogs being sold to people who then have the heartbreaking experience of watching their new puppy die of a disease,” she said.

“No one wants to see them suffer. It would require resources to make sure that we know where dog breeders and puppy mills are operating, and that there are inspectors who can go out there and investigate conditions.”

CityNews contacted the Ontario government to ask about the concerns articulated by Animal Justice. Hunter Kell, Kerzner’s press secretary, touted improvements made through the PAWS Act in a statement. He noted all breeders must abide by it, including “prohibitions on causing animal distress and requirements to meet standards of care. This includes mandating adequate access to food, water, space and medical attention.”

Kell went on to say many of Ontario’s municipalities have bylaws for breeders and “the Ministry of the Solicitor General will continue to work cooperatively with municipalities on the shared responsibilities of animal welfare in Ontario.”

Jennifer Bluhm, the Ontario SPCA’s vice-president of community outreach services, said she has been in animal welfare for more than 20 years. She said she has seen first-hand how bad puppy mills can get, noting many animals have a very poor quality of life.

“Generally I can tell you … conditions inside puppy mills are all substandard: Unsanitary living conditions, poor grooming, inadequate medical care. Dogs are often bred repeatedly and puppies are often weaned early from moms,” Bluhm said.

Bluhm called the proposed law a “really important first step” for addressing conditions in puppy mills. She said the next step is to build regulations that can beef up enforcement.

“We’re looking to bring forward clear standards that will ensure the improved welfare of the dogs and puppies in facilities, and some of those standards would include adequate medical care, adequate grooming, enrichment and adequate sanitary conditions. All of the things that every animal deserves as part of a good quality of life.”

For anyone looking to bring a dog into their home, Labchuk and Bluhm encouraged people to first consider adopting a dog.

“If you want to make the biggest impact on an animal’s life, adopt first. There are thousands of animals in animal shelters and municipal shelters and with rescue groups that are waiting to find their home. We’ve seen such an increase in the number of animals coming into our shelters that need to be adopted,” Bluhm said.

For those who are determined to get a dog through a breeder, Bluhm encouraged people to make sure they attend in person versus online, ask to see the puppy’s mother and father to assess the health, ask to see a kennel licence and/or inspection, review veterinary records for the puppy and the mother and father, ask questions and look for breeders that do background checks on prospective buyers.