C-fidos calls for 'best practice' in Kingston's pet shops (From Your Local Guardian)

C-fidos calls for 'best practice' in Kingston's pet shops

4:42pm Wednesday 21st July 2010 in

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The Homeless Dogs Steering Group at the Coalition For Improved Dog Ownership Standards (C-fidos), has launched a petition calling on Kingston council to adopt stricter licencing conditions on pet shops selling puppies within the borough.

“It is a founding principle of C-fidos that irresponsible suppliers and producers of dogs should be properly legislated against.” said John Robinson, head of the coalition’s steering group on homeless dogs.

“There is a demonstrable link between pet shops selling dogs and the puppy farming industry with its attendant welfare concerns. The mixing of litters and transportation of puppies across large distances facilitates the spread of disease and the use of poor breeding stock, together with the lack of traceability leads to many buyers unwittingly acquiring dogs with inheritable diseases and/or temperamental problems.

To ensure that the sale of puppy farmed or ill-bred puppies is not sanctioned by council licence Kingston should adopt the best practice models already embraced by Swindon and Wokingham councils.

In particular licence conditions should include local sourcing, health testing and the ability for prospective buyers to visit the breeder’s premises prior to purchase.

Kingston council has said that they are lobbying government for stronger powers in relation to pet shops selling dogs but they are not using the powers they already have. Why do dogs in Wokingham deserve better than Kingston?”

An awareness raising event, planned for 12.00pm, 31st July on Richmond Road in Kingston, is hoped to garner further support for the petition which has already received the backing of local councillors and welfare organisations. An on-line version has also been published at: http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/oppose-the-sale-of-battery-farmed-dogs-in-kingston.html