SYDNEY, May 25 (Xinhua) -- To stamp out unethical puppy farming, the Australian State of Queensland has announced it will implement a new dog breeder registry, effective at midnight Friday.
The program will require the owner of any dog litter to register the puppies with the Queensland government, in hopes it will provide clearer information for dog buyers.
Every puppy up for sale will require a supply number, which will be included in the animal's microchip information.
For animals rights groups, the news is more than welcome.
"Puppy farms are dog breeding operations that exist solely to churn out puppies for profit," Animals Australia representative Lisa Zilberpriver told Xinhua Thursday.
"At best they use dogs as breeding machines, at worst, our investigations have shown dogs being kept in tiny cages, in total darkness, covered in their own excrement and denied exercise, bedding or clean water for their entire lives."
"The callous disregard for the needs of dogs is appalling especially when you consider hundreds of thousands of dollars in income they generate each year."
Overall, the state's dog breeding industry has welcomed the new changes and supported the government's tougher regulations.
"Those who seek to avoid scrutiny will be frozen out of the market, but no breeder who cares properly for their dogs has anything to fear," acting minister for Queensland agriculture and fisheries, Dr Anthony Lynham said in a statement.
"We are delivering on the promise we made to work with ethical breeders and animal welfare groups to help get rid of rogue operators."
