[Greens-Media] Oscar’s Law Bill Needed to Stop Puppy Factories

[Franks, Office]

Greens’ Animal Welfare Spokesperson Tammy Franks has announced on National Puppy Factory Awareness Day* that she will work with parliamentarians across political parties to introduce an Oscar’s Law bill in the next session of Parliament to shut down puppy factories, introduce compulsory microchipping of dogs and ban the sale of companion animals like dogs and cats from pet shops and online trading sites.

‘Oscar’s Law is a Victorian initiative that seeks to ban the impulse sales of dogs from pet shops, encouraging instead adoptions from shelters and pounds to reduce the ghastly toll of surplus, abandoned and stray animals that are routinely euthanased on a daily basis.

‘The bill will also clamp down on operators of puppy factories, unethical establishments that exploit dogs purely for profit and in the process churn out litter after litter of animals that often have serious health or behavioural problems.

‘Unscrupulous operators aiming for a quick buck are exploiting would-be dog owners for pure financial gain, whilst the health of breeding mother dogs comes a distant second.

‘Health issues faced by puppy factory pups are numerous and range from genetic defects like hip dysplasia to issues of poor socialisation or temperament and are often extremely expensive for new owners to rectify, if indeed they can be.

‘Whilst not a part of the Oscar’s law campaign per se, the call for compulsory micro-chipping of dogs animals is both an important part of responsible dog ownership and will help owners and local councils in dog recovery, control and management.

Compulsory micro-chipping is advocated by the Australian Veterinary Association and the RSPCA in SA.


* Oscar’s Law Rallies will take place in Sydney, Melbourne & Adelaide with the local Adelaide event taking place in Light Square today Sunday, September 16th from 12noon till 3pm. Tammy Franks MLC will join other speakers Shatha Hamade, National Co-ordinator of the Barristers Animal Welfare Panel and Legal Counsel of the RSPCA, Kerriann Campbell, RSPCA Executive Shelter Director and Bob Yeo, Owner of Canine Detection Services.