Dr Harry is a well-known cat and dog breeder. He has kept racing greyhounds. He is a patron of the Pet Industry Association of Australia and has represented them at functions and the launch of the PIAA breeding program. And recently, Dr Harry was been interviewed on how people should obtain a dog, on the Woolworths Pet Insurance website.
Dr Harry: Where should I buy or adopt a dog?
From purebreds to designer dogs, it’s important to know where to look and who to contact when it comes to purchasing your furry companion. As the old TV ad used to say,’ ‘where do you get it?’ Well, don’t worry, there are plenty of avenues.
And from here he details the following;
Purebreds
... My suggestion is that you contact the purebred dog association in your state, such as Dogs QLD, Dogs VIC and Dogs NSW for example. They have a list of registered breeders of whatever pedigreed dog takes your fancy...
Then,
Designer dogs
Years ago they were crossbreeds’ and the result of accidental mating. These days, it’s just the opposite. We have planned matings... There are, however, many good people who only rear a litter occasionally, and even today, accidents can happen and the unplanned litter is born. These are my chosen ‘breeders’...
Then,
Pet shops
The pet shop has changed just so much in the over 50 years that I’ve been a vet. Gone are the old days, with mess everywhere, and animals, of every description, housed in less than ideal circumstances. The quality pet shops of today are a far cry from those establishments. Housing is first class. Team members who know and love the puppies or kittens available for sale, know what they are talking about. They have trained at college, and animal welfare is their priority. When you buy from a pet shop, many offer a lifetime guarantee (Pet Industry Association of Australia) which simply says that if at any time during the dog’s life you are unable to care for your pet, they will happily take it back and look after it prior to being rehomed. On top of that, like most reputable breeders, they may take the puppy back, and refund your money paid for the pet within five days, if things aren’t working out the way you thought. These pups are vaccinated, microchipped and usually desexed. They are at least 8 weeks of age.
And while it should come as no surprise to see Dr Harry spruiking on behalf of his puppy farming mates at the PIAA given the PIAA has been for decades, desperately trying to normalise pet shop sales and puppy factories, and helping their board members to develop projects like the 60-dog strong, Bathurst puppy farm opened by a PIAA board member.
However at the same time, Woolworths Pet Insurance corporate promotions team works hard to present itself as ethical, animal-welfare centric and humane, by making much of itself being a friend to rescue and a major sponsor of PetRescue.
Dr Harry's article goes on and finally gets to rescue...
Rescues
Welfare organisations like Animal Welfare League often have puppies available for adoption.... The staff are well equipped to help you make the correct choice, and so many people look on this as these would be ‘orphans’, a second chance at life.
I commend those that take on a mature dog, say over the age of two, they are really doing their bit for dogs as a whole. Don’t dismiss this idea, as it will bypass all those puppy problems that some find hard to deal with.
Fucking glowing. The highlighted fluff text doesn't even make sense and was clearly an afterthought, while Dr Harry advises people to, whatever, I dunno, maybe rescue if you must?
And the final kicker? The Animal Welfare League NSW is linked in this article - an animal welfare group that has hosted fundraising events in the store of a PIAA board member and puppy farmer John Grima.
So Dr Harry - pet shop and puppy farm supporter - is still being paid as the corporate face of Woolworths Insurance.
Woolworths Insurance is still paying PetRescue for their charity halo, and in doing so, PetRescue assists Dr Harry, the PIAA and their puppy farming mates a platform to promote designer dogs, bulk pet shop breeders, and retail pet sales for profit.
PetRescue signed up with Woolworths in 2016. At the time when questioned, they emailed rescue groups and assured them that while they "did not consider him a good brand spokesperson for (Woolworths)" that they hoped that they would "be able to get (Woolworths) to remove Dr Harry from any of their marketing" which clearly six years on, hasn't happened.
Woolworths has given over $100,000 to PetRescue for over four years, with over $150,000 being given in 2021. In short, simply continuing to turn a blind eye to Woolworths allowing Dr Harry promote the benefits of retail puppy sales for profit over rescue, has allowed PetRescue to bank over half a million dollars for their charity.
Shameful.