The Canadian government should draw inspiration from the UK government's leadership in establishing more rigorous standards and regulations for animal welfare.

1. Created in 2001, the Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) addresses mounting concerns surrounding the irresponsible advertising of pets for sale, rehoming, and exchange. A set of minimum standards were developed by PAAG which several of the UK’s largest classified websites have agreed to meet. (i)
   
   
2. In 2020, the UK Government introduced legislation to tackle the low-welfare, high volume supply of puppies and kittens, by banning the sales of puppies and kittens (under six months in both cases) by third party sellers/anyone other than the breeder. (ii)
   
   
3. Also in 2020, the UK Government launched the ‘Petfished’ campaign to highlight puppy mills conditions and the deceptive practices employed by pet sellers to deceive buyers into thinking they are responsible breeders selling healthy animals. The campaign educates the public on how to source dogs and cats responsibly, advising them to watch for warning signs of potential illegal third-party dealers, such as litters without a mother present or sellers pressuring buyers into rushed transactions. (iii)
   
   
4. In 2021, the UK Government published its Action Plan for Animal Welfare - an ambitious plan setting out current and future animal welfare work. (iv) 

It's imperative for the Canadian government to take similar actions to halt puppy mills and safeguard Canadian consumers buying animals.

More arguments to consider:

5. Only the provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick require licenses for dog and cat breeders. Breeders who are issued licenses from the government may not guarantee that these breeders are conscientious, but it provides more protection to buyers since these breeders have licenses and can be easily traced if problems occur. Moreover, it allows for the government to make these breeders responsible and to comply with a certain standard of care, to inspect them, or even sanction them. In the absence of licensing requirements, there are limited avenues for recourse against irresponsible breeders.(v) 

6. The majority of dog and cat breeders operate without government-issued licenses and are often not registered as businesses, depriving the Canadian government of its fair share of revenue.

7. Enacted 36 years ago, the Animal Pedigree Act protects persons who raise and purchase animals. According to the Act, it is illegal to sell a purebred dog without a certificate of registration. Ten years ago, we denounced the existence of several ads promoting the sale of puppies and kittens under 8 weeks old and illegally selling purebred dogs without certificates of registration. Sadly, these same violations persist today.

8. On multiple occasions, the Ontario Court has convicted individuals for capturing, selling on the classified site Kijiji, or purchasing a living member of a Species at Risk in Ontario, thereby violating the Endangered Species Act. (vi) 

9. Canada’s most popular classifieds internet site, Kijiji Canada, currently hosts over 54,000 pet sale advertisements. Kijiji Canada depends on its user community (the public) to report inappropriate content on its platform. When an ad is flagged by a user or when Kijiji receives a written complaint from a user, the moderation team can then review the details and remove the ad. At our request, Kijiji Canada declined to review pets ads and ensure compliance with Canadian laws before they are published. (vii) 

10. To mitigate the risk of introducing canine rabies into Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) implemented a ban in 2022 on all commercial dogs, imported from countries considered high-risk for rabies. Despite the ban, there remains a concern regarding the influx of sick puppies from foreign puppy mills into Canada, which are then sold to Canadian consumers, perpetuating veterinary costs for new owners and inflicting unnecessary emotional and financial stress upon them.

11. Research confirms the emotional stress, anxiety, and depression experienced by pet owners as they cope with the needs of an ailing animal (viii), contributing to Canada's annual $50 billion economic burden of mental health issues and illnesses. This includes health care costs, social services, lost productivity, and reductions in health-related quality of life. (ix) A survey of 1,000 pet owners in Australia conducted in November 2022 found that “77% of all Australian pet parents said their productivity at work is negatively affected by having a sick pet at home, and 55% say they would lie to their employer to stay home and care for an unwell pet.” (x) 

12. Recent data indicate a steady rise in the number of households embracing pet ownership across the country: 60% of Canadian households own at least one cat or dog.  (xi) 

Initiatives, standards, action plans and legislations are just a few examples of the actions our government can take to halt puppy mills and improve the welfare of animals in Canada, while also making a positive impact on both the economy and the mental health of Canadian consumers. Which specific actions will our federal government take today?

Barbara

Read also: Calling on our federal government to take action!

References:

i. Government response (2021, July 1). #Reggieslaw - Regulate online animal sales. UK Government and Parliament. https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/587654

ii. Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. (2020, April 6). Lucy’s Law spells the beginning of the end for puppy farming. UK Government and Parliament. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/lucys-law-spells-the-beginning-of-the-end-for-puppy-farming

iii. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Petfished: Who's the person behind the pet? UK Government and Parliament. https://getyourpetsafely.campaign.gov.uk/

iv. Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. (2021, May 12). Action Plan for Animal Welfare. UK Government and Parliament. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/action-plan-for-animal-welfare

v. All establishments in New Brunswick that breed or board for consideration are required to undergo an annual inspection and obtain a Pet Establishment License (PEL) through the province of New Brunswick. https://nbspca.ca/animal-protection/pet-establishment-licencing-inspections

In Quebec, owners or guardians of 15 to 50 cats or dogs in the context of commercial breeding or breeding activities are required to undergo an annual inspection and obtain a permit issued by the province of Quebec. https://www.quebec.ca/agriculture-environnement-et-ressources-naturelles/sante-animale/animaux-compagnie/permis-chats-chiens

vi. Government of Ontario.Three Individuals fined $4,100 for Endangered Species Act and Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act violations (September 12, 2023): https://news.ontario.ca/en/court/1003487/three-individuals-fined-4100-for-endangered-species-act-and-fish-and-wildlife-conservation-act-violations

Government of Ontario. Individual ordered to pay $4,000 for Endangered Species Act violations (September 20, 2023): https://news.ontario.ca/en/court/1003529/individual-ordered-to-pay-4000-for-endangered-species-act-violations

vii. Kent Sikstrom, Kijiji Community Relations Manager, e-mail message to Barbara Lapointe, July 21, 2023.

viii. Spitznagel M, Jacobson D, Cox M, Carlson M. Caregiver burden in owners of a sick companion animal: a cross-sectional observational study. Veterinary Record. 2017; 181(12). https://bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1136/vr.104295

ix. Mental Health Commission of Canada. (2021). Making the Case for Investing in Mental Health in Canada. https://mentalhealthcommission.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Investing_in_Mental_Health_FINAL_Version_ENG_0.pdf

x. Wilson, J. (2023, January 7). Many workers looking for 'pet care leave': Three-quarters of pet owners say productivity at work negatively affected by sick animal at home. Human Resources Director. https://www.hcamag.com/au/specialisation/benefits/many-workers-looking-for-pet-care-leave/432072

xi. Canadian Animal Health Institute (2023, May 3). 2022 - Latest Canadian Pet Population Figures Released. https://www.cahi-icsa.ca/fr/press-releases/2022-latest-canadian-pet-population-figures-released

Association des médecins vétérinaires du Québec. (2023, December 13). 52% of Quebec households own at least one cat or dog. La popularité des chats et des chiens ne fléchit pas au Québec 2023. https://www.amvq.quebec/fr/nouvelles/la-popularite-des-chats-et-des-chiens-ne-flechit-pas-au-quebec-2023