Question from audience; Does this mean AWL NSW is going to give Kellyville Pets a free pass to puppy farm?
I’m not even going to dignify that with an answer because it not a puppy farm.
Question from audience; Can you clarify - what is a puppy farm?
A puppy farm does not meet those things.
The AWL NSW's new statement on dog and cat breeding and it's cosy, financial relationship with Kellyville Pets (a pet shop and commercial puppy breeder) puts the organsation at odds with most animal lovers in the community. Which for a entirely community-funded organsation, is a risky strategy.
But it actually does something more potentially damaging to the "Animal Welfare League" brand, than even that; it puts it at odds with the other member organisations of the Animal Welfare League Australia (AWLA).
The AWLA was formed in 2007, when the AWL NSW, AWL SA and AWL QLD joined their brands together. The Dogs Homes of Tasmania would join AWLA in 2010 and SAFE Inc joined in 2014. It was formed to;
“use our national voice to lobby government for legislation and policies which will improve life for animals.”
In fact, lobbying for legislation is one of the four core activities of the AWLA.
And the AWLA's position on commercial puppy farmers really couldn't be clearer;
And that;
The AWL NSW's relationship with Kellyville at odds with their parent organsation, as it will be on a commercial ("industrial") scale and will push thousands of undesexed pets out into the community.
The AWLA is taking a few hundred thousand dollars a year in revenue and donations...
2017 - $175,259
2016 - $456,115
2015 - $344,952
... with the short term and long term objectives as stated in their financial report to the ACNC being;
It is impossible to be regarded as the peak companion animal welfare organisation who advocates for... national companion animals legislation and has a national communication strategy if it's member organisations can't agree on strategy on something as foundational as pet shop sales and commercial breeding.
The AWL NSW is a major organisational member and their being BFF's with a commercial puppy farmer makes all member organisations in the AWLA look complicit. It is putting the organisation as a whole at odds with the pet loving public and makes them unable to perform the role they've asserted they're being paid to do.
The AWLA needs to make a clear statement about their organisation's intentions and core strategy;
- Either commercial, large-scale breeding of dogs and cats is ok with them, or it isn't.
- Either puppies and kittens being sold undesexed for profit in pet shops is ok with them, or it isn't and,
- Either the AWL NSW's relationship with Kellyville Pets is ok with them, or it isn't.
If it is ok with them, then the public deserve to know.
If it isn't ok with them, then the AWL NSW need to be removed from their position in the AWLA, if the organsation is to be able to stand for anything at all.