International Dogs in Politics Day

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS (15:34): Today celebrates International Dogs in Politics Day. This morning I invited Archie the Golden Retriever cross Groodle into parliament. Although he could not enjoy a full tour of Parliament House due to COVID restrictions, he did love coming to the city and being the centre of attention on the steps of parliament. More than 60 per cent of South Australian households have a family pet, which includes many of us in this place. Pets, especially dogs, bring joy and comfort to our lives and become members of the family.

While we celebrate dogs in parliament today, it is also a reminder that not all dogs share the same privileges as Archie. Unfortunately, as shocking as it is, puppy farms exist in Australia. In these facilities, puppies and their mothers are often kept in overcrowded and filthy conditions and forced to eat, sleep, go to the toilet and give birth all in one confined space. These horrendous acts fail to recognise dogs as conscious beings and infringe on their behavioural, social and psychological needs.

In August 2017, amendments to the Dog and Cat Management Act were passed in South Australia, as well as a new code of practice for dog and cat breeders and traders. These laws aimed to provide some assurance that puppies bred and made available for sale were under acceptable conditions. However, the legislation falls short of addressing the problem of puppy farms. The amendments encourage responsible dog and cat ownership, reduce public and environmental nuisances caused by dogs and cats, and promote the effective management of dogs and cats through the encouragement of desexing.

Whilst those changes to the Dog and Cat Management Act have helped in the fight against irresponsible breeders and puppy farms, the onus remains on the buyers to be vigilant and make sure they are buying pets from reputable breeders and sellers. People breeding dogs in puppy farms are often devious and hide their practices. It is sometimes not obvious to the buyer where a dog has been bred. Breeders may not sell the dogs where they are being bred but at a meeting place, using a broker, in shops or even unregulated selling online through sites such as Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace.

In 2018, the Andrews Labor government in Victoria passed progressive legislation banning pet stores from selling puppies and kittens from breeders. The laws require dogs and cats to be sourced from approved sources, being registered pounds, animal shelters or community foster care organisations. The laws go further to limit the number of fertile females commercial breeders hold and have established a pet exchange register. This legislation is part of a broader reform agenda to ensure puppy farms are eliminated entirely within the state of Victoria.

With inconsistent laws in jurisdictions around Australia, many puppy farm breeders have fled Victoria and have begun practising in other states. After being caught several times practising illegal puppy farming in Victoria, two notorious puppy farm breeders fled from Victoria to South Australia in 2019. As banning orders and court-imposed orders issued in Victoria are not recognised interstate, these breeders were able to move to South Australia and begin breeding again.

In this extreme case, the RSPCA became involved because of the cruel mistreatment of the dogs. However, the practice of puppy farming continues in South Australia. I have been in talks with the RSPCA and the Animal Welfare League about how we can create better safeguards for puppies and dogs in our state. I intend to delve deeper into this area of legislation and address the shortfalls. This is an area of the law we must focus upon and create uniform practices across states.