Ontario's Bill 159, the Preventing Unethical Puppy Sales Act, was passed in June 2024 as an amendment to the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, 2019. It is a start, a step toward curbing unethical dog breeding practices in the province.
Record-Keeping Requirements: Breeders are mandated to maintain detailed records concerning their dogs
Regulation of Dog Sales and Transfers: The bill empowers the government to establish regulations governing the sale or transfer of dogs, aiming to ensure ethical practices in these transactions.
Prohibition of Puppy Mills: Operating puppy mills is explicitly banned. The legislation defines a puppy mill as any breeding operation that engages in practices such as:
Breeding a female dog more than three times within a two-year span or from consecutive heat cycles
Breeding female dogs under 12 months old
Separating puppies from their mothers before eight weeks of age
And more (read here)
Animal Justice’s Plan to End Unethical Breeding
Animal Justice is Canada’s national animal law advocacy organization working to protect new animal protection laws. Bill 159 is just a starting point for additional legislation to safeguard dogs and puppies from inhumane treatment and to alleviate the strain on rescues and shelters caused by unchecked breeding. Provincial governments are being heavily encouraged to consider the following additional measures:
Introduce a Licensing System for Breeders
Implement strict licensing requirements that include limits on the number of animals kept and bred, a comprehensive animal welfare plan, mandatory record-keeping, and pre-licensing inspections.
Enforce High Standards of Animal Welfare
Ensure breeders provide adequate space, exercise, proper housing, nutritious food, clean water, regular veterinary care, humane handling, socialization opportunities, and good hygiene. Prohibit harmful practices like ear cropping and tail docking.
Conduct Routine, Unannounced Inspections
Perform regular surprise inspections at licensed breeding facilities to ensure compliance and transparency. Publicly share inspection reports online to build trust and accountability.
Limit the Scale of Breeding Operations
Set clear restrictions on the number of animals breeders can keep and the number of litters a single animal can produce. This will prevent large-scale breeding operations and protect animals from exploitation.
Prohibit Animal Sales in Pet Stores and on Classified Websites
Ban the sale of dogs and other animals in pet stores and on platforms like Kijiji and Craigslist. Cities such as Toronto, Ottawa, Mississauga, and Cambridge have already implemented similar measures. Instead, encourage partnerships with shelters and rescues to help animals find loving homes.
Raise Public Awareness About Dog Breeding
Launch educational initiatives to inform the public about the risks and ethical issues associated with irresponsible breeding, while promoting adoption from shelters and rescues as the preferred option.
