The palgrave international handbook of a 30

18

J. Yeates and D. Bowles

like wolves. These issues can lead to a black market in such animals and
issues around consumer protection (Cusdin and Greenwood 2000).

Raising of Offspring
Many breeding harms relate to the care of the progeny. In England, Scotland
and Wales, there are licensing systems, conditional upon a veterinary surgeon
or other inspector visiting the breeders to ensure their dogs:
•
•
•
•
•
•

live in suitable accommodation
receive adequate food, water and bedding
get enough exercise
are transported in safe and comfortable conditions
are protected in case of fire or other emergency
are protected from the spread of disease

Large scale commercial breeding establishments (often called ‘puppy farms’ or
‘puppy mills’) can be unsuitable environments for puppies (McMillan et al.
2011, 2013). Welfare problems can result from extremes of temperature,
inadequate veterinary care or high levels of diseases. These diseases may not
necessarily show themselves while the maternal antibodies (from the milk) are
still active within the puppy, but may cause problems when they wear off.

Stressors such as transport to a point of sale can also trigger diseases such as
parvovirus, a reason why puppies succumb to illness in the week after being
sold. For those illegal breeders and vendors, there is an increased incentive to
sell or dispose of sick animals as quickly as possible and avoid being traceable to
the purchaser.
Puppies and kittens need to spend long enough with their mother and
littermates both to gain nutrition and to help them learn about the world and
how to behave socially (e.g., Goodard and Beilharz 1986). Puppies and
kittens also need to undergo experiences so they are familiar with what
they will encounter later, such as meeting a range of other dogs (not just
the mother and littermates); a variety of humans (that is, not just kennel
staff); and household events and objects, so that they do not find those
experiences stressful or fearful later (for example, see Bradshaw 2012; Defra
2009). Breeding dogs in ‘intensive’ conditions is unlikely to facilitate the
required human interaction, due to the lack of time staff have to interact with
the animals; similarly, breeding dogs in closed barn conditions restricts their
range of experiences. In some cases, these conditions may directly violate