Success in Court! Setback for Puppy Factories

Puppy factories took a hit in the Kyneton Magistrates Court, Victoria, on February 29, 2012. A $14,000 compensation claim against Patty Mark for ‘breeding losses’, due to Animal Liberation Victoria‘s rescue of three dogs in pitiful condition, was withdrawn. Patty stated to media outside court “The result today was justice for the dogs. We’re pleased the claim for compensation against our activists for rescuing dogs from a puppy factory was withdrawn.”

Patty further stated outside court, ‘this is a good result for rescuers who put their own freedom on the line to liberate dogs in dire circumstances. The public should be aware that if they are buying a puppy online or in a pet store they are almost definitely supporting puppy factories. These dogs we rescued are only three out out of thousands, we are going to keep working to shut down all puppy farms.

Background
The night ALV’s Openrescue team saved Oscar, Waldo and Tillie was like countless other Open Rescues ALV has been doing since 1993. The person ringing about Oscar was in tears after coming across the puppy factory. The ‘owners’ were away on holidays while their shed of caged, heavily matted, sickly and tormented dogs were left to circle endlessly in their dim concrete pens inside a steel shed. A neighbour was occasionally filling the feed bowls.

It was easy to understood why the informant was in tears once the ALV rescuers entered the shed and saw the dogs. Hours later the vet rated the condition of the three dogs we rescued at between 1 to 1.5 out of 5. They were malnourished and underweight, their fur was so matted it had to be later shaved under anaesthetic. All three of the dogs suffered dental disease, ear infections and embedded grass seeds. The vet said in her report, “I was able to clip some of the matted hair on the dogs, revealing prominent rib cages due to the lack of subcutaneous fat covering their ribs…” The team was small so were able to only safely carry out the three dogs. Having to leave the others behind was traumatic for the rescuers, knowing too well that their appeals to the ‘legal authorities’ would be ignored.

The team of three Openrescue activists faced court for trespass and theft on April 11, 2011. ALV founder Patty Mark pleaded guilty with mitigating circumstances to theft of the dogs and was fined $750 but refused to pay the fine due to ethical reasons. A year on and Ms. Mark continues to refuse to pay the fine for removing the sick and neglected dogs then taking them to a vet.

An unwanted dog is killed every four minutes in Australia

The withdrawal of the puppy factory’s compensation claim on February 29 is a step forward in the fight to ban all puppy factories. The industry is based on profit and greed at the expense and exploitation of innocent lives.