The state government’s tough new laws to crack down on cruel and illegal cat and dog breeders have been welcomed by the RSPCA and Hume council.
But both say the new laws don’t go far enough, pointing to a lack of funding for enforcement and no limit on the number of litters an animal can have.
The new laws, unveiled by Agriculture Minister Peter Walsh last week, will see people with animal cruelty convictions prohibited from owning, managing or registering a domestic animal business for 10 years.
The laws, which could apply to any person convicted in the past 10 years, also extend the powers of the RSPCA and local councils.
But because no breeding limits have been set, animals could be “bred to death”, according to Labor MP Jaala Pulford.
“Labor has pledged to amend the code of practice for dog-breeding businesses to ensure females cannot have any more than five litters,” she said.
The RSPCA’s extended powers will allow inspectors to go into pet shops and breeders’ premises to check living conditions for domestic animals are appropriate.
The new laws also introduce mandatory record-keeping of puppies and kittens for sale at pet stores. “Pet shops will no longer be able to do dodgy deals with backyard breeders,” Mr Walsh said.
