‘Unethical breeders’ leaving dogs to die. Ontario city wants tougher law

Mike Mulick knows all about the ongoing issue of pet abandonment in Canada.

The manager of animal services with the City of Brampton says the number of animals coming into its shelter remains steady, but the amount of people willing to adopt is dwindling.

However, as he recently told Ontario lawmakers, a “threshold” is being crossed by unethical breeders, which has advocates calling for enhancements to a bill that just became law.

“We’re crossing a threshold where unethical breeders are now abandoning new moms and their pups outside at an increasing rate, leaving them to die once they’re no longer of value to them,” Mulick told lawmakers last month.

“To date this year with the City of Brampton, we’ve responded to two such cases. While my staff have rescued many abandoned puppies before it was too late, they’ve also had to recover deceased dogs that in the days prior were posted on classified ads.”

The committee Mulick shared that story with was meeting on the government’s Preventing Unethical Puppy Sales (PUPS) Act, which received Royal Assent on June 6.

Brampton sounded the alarm earlier this spring over dogs being found in “deplorable” condition. But Mulick told Global News recently the two cases he shared with the committee caused “particular concern,” given the apparent intent was to avoid any responsibility.

“We’ve had breeders come in and bring litters. … We’ve had them tied up to our front door at the shelter,” Mulick said.

“But in this case, it was very clear that it was done with intent to disregard these puppies in a manner which they weren’t going to be found.”

Camille Labchuk, executive director of Animal Justice – a national animal law advocacy organization – said the issue in Brampton is not unique to that city.

Foll