Top o’ the mornin’ to ya, Dogsters! This week we’re going to have some international flair, with at least one story per day from somewhere other than Dogster’s home country of the USA. That’s because we think the world of dogs around the planet, and want to engage you in stories from the worldwide community.
We begin the week with great news from Ireland, where puppy mills are now banned. I kid you not.
Ireland has so many puppy mills that it’s known as the Puppy Farm of Europe, according to Irish Central. But thanks to two new laws — the Dogs Breeding Establishments Act and the Welfare of Greyhounds Act — the country is set to do an about-face on the puppy mill issue.
The new laws make it illegal to produce puppies in horrendous conditions. Breeding facilities are still permitted to exist, but they’ll have to completely clean up their acts. Local authorized veterinarians are obliged to inspect them all, and can immediately shut down kennels where animals aren’t receiving very good care as mandated by the stringent new law.
In addition, breeders can no longer lurk in the shadows, but must be registered. And all Irish pups will be microchipped so they can be traced back to their roots, if need be.
It has taken years of hard fights to get this legislation passed, and we at the Dog Blog would like to reach out and shake paws with the people who didn’t give up. I wonder when the U.S. and other countries will follow suit?
