Are there puppy mills in canada

This decrease created a demand that was met by an increase in Canadian mills. It is unknown exactly how many mills there are in Canada.

Unlike the U. However, even a conservative estimate places the number in the thousands. Source: Humane Canada. In addition to the federal Criminal Code, each province has its own animal protection legislation. It found sellers concealing that their puppies were imported, and dozens of imported dogs with serious and sometimes fatal medical conditions. Veterinarians have raised questions around some of the dogs being imported into Canada from Ukraine, flagging concerns such as vaccination records that cannot be verified or do not have the name of the veterinarian as required or suggest the dog was vaccinated when it was only a month old.

Marketplace tested one puppy imported from Ukraine that the seller said had been immunized against rabies, but the test confirmed the puppy either had not been vaccinated or the shot was given at such a young age as to be ineffective.

Canadian veterinary researcher Scott Weese, the Ontario Veterinary College's chief of infection control, has also flagged concerns about the lack of screening for animal diseases. Unlike in Australia and U. He has previously said the business of commercially importing dogs is not adequately regulated by the CFIA, with importers required to show little more than confirmation of vaccination. There's maybe more pressure to act now.

Weese welcomed last year's change restricting imports from Ukraine but says now, exporters are simply routing animals through Poland, Russia and Moldova to circumvent that restriction. In light of the recent restrictions, she said, her sister sent the dogs from Ukraine to Poland, where they were in kennels for two months so they could be rebranded as Polish and bypass the Canadian rules.

She says there are many unscrupulous importers and sellers in Canada who do not care about animal health and well-being but that she is not one of them. He also notes that they are not being bred or trained properly, a concern echoed by White. White says these animals are bred to maximize the number of puppies produced as opposed to considering the health and wellbeing of the female animal.

This inbreeding can result in severe genetic conditions, such as hip dysplasia, weak ligaments and bones, and breathing issues due to flat noses. She also expresses concern for the fate of animals adopted and purchased during the pandemic.

Skip to content. Community , Justice. Activists warn of puppy mills amid increased demand for pets during pandemic.