Puppy farming - bad news from Carmarthenshire

[Scuttlebutter]

As expected, Beili Bedw Farm has been granted its retrospective planning permission. It's now fully licensed and legally operating with 196 dogs - yes, you read that correctly. These dogs, along with 850 ewes are being tended by the farmer, one full time and one part time employee. We are now seeing a major legal precedent - puppy farming on an unashamedly industrial scale, legal, licensed and supported by local politicians.

What really matters though is that this farm would close down tomorrow - if demand dried up. The hundreds of pups from this one farm alone aren't generally homed in Wales - they are sold to dealers and head straight up the M4. So if you're English, and you've recently bought puppies, especially Yorkies, Westies, Bichons, Bassets, "designer" cross breeds, or any similar small "pet" breeds, you may well have contributed to this farm's ongoing success and profits.

You can link here to the official report of the Council officers for the planning committee - via that you can see the original application. Anyone hoping for nice, airy outdoor kennels will be disappointed - we are talking about a windowless barn.

These places continue to flourish as they have effective front doors on the many websites where pups are advertised cheaply, and what I can best describe as "beard" homes where pups can be placed for sale, to give the illusion of being home bred.

Recent threads have been highly critical of us rescue peeps - seems we just won't shut up about these pesky puppies. Once again, if you really want a dog please consider a rescue. If you must have a puppy, then please, please go to a reputable breeder - they are very far away from the hellholes of Carmarthenshire. Yes, you will pay more, but raising puppies well is not cheap. Sadly though the ultimate price is being paid by the dogs who are on this farm and the many like it.

[Elibean]

This is awful

Unbelievable that its even legal.

[CoffeeIsMyFriend]

FUcking disgusting!

oh scuttle. and

I wouldnt buy from a BYB and was careful when selecting my pair of hairy babies. SAdly others fall for the puppies big eyes and fulfil the BYB cycle by purchasing a puppy.

[MarshaBrady]

That makes me feel ill, poor puppies.

[wildfig]

hear hear hear hear hear hear.

I took my Basset hound in to the vet this week (for a scratched eye - nothing sinister!) and he was telling me about a 10-month-old Basset puppy he'd had in the previous day with chronic elbow problems that need operating on immediately. He checked over my dog to compare the legs in case he'd misjudged it, and said, no, it's completely different. The majority of Basset hound puppies registered with the Kennel Club come from puppy farms and many of them have inherent medical problems that responsible breeders try hard to avoid perpetuating in their lines. There's a reason a puppy should cost £600+ - health tests, stud fee from a genetically appropriate dog, food, vet care, vaccinations, etc, etc, etc.

I try to steer friends who ask about dogs towards rescue, to give an older dog a second chance, or to the breed club, who should be able to give sensible advice about finding a healthy puppy. But the fact that my own vet only learned this weekend that many new puppy farms set up around Wales with Foot & Mouth compensation money suggests that more could be done to make people aware of this horrible business.

[chickchickchicken]

for the dogs who will suffer and not have a good life. the poor breeding bitches never feeling the sun on their backs and grass under their feet

and for the dogs who will end up in rescue (as this is not a responsible breeder who will take dog back at any time during its lifetime so those who experience divorce, ill health, etc and cannot keep their dog will contribute to the rescue problem or even worse the pounds where healthy dogs are pts every week

at the bloody people who still buy puppies. without the demand obviously the supply will dry up. i can understand to a certain degree how people can naively end up with a puppy but i have contempt for those who try to justify it by saying they wanted so and so dog and didnt want to wait or pay proper prices. yes there is a good, humane reason why responsible breeders have waiting lists and charge more you fucking idiots

[Midori1999]

I feel physically sick. Those poor, poor dogs. It is utterly disgusting that given the obvious welfare issues they can do this. Dogs are not livestock or farm animals and should not be treated as such.

[MarshaBrady]

Why would a council grant planning permission for this? I can't understand it, what motivates them to do so. It's obvious the dogs and puppies will suffer isn't it?

[Midori1999]

They think puppy farming is a viable business proposition and they make money out of the licences.

[mymumdom]

That is horrific! Those poor, poor dogs :(

[MarshaBrady]

Of course, the license . Not good at all.

[boris2510]

Also Emma woodhams she now calls herself Emma Lou on FB she is pumping puppies out and and all her family are at it two Karen woodhams and the rest of the woodhams clan selling for £1000 s and not paying a penny tax also Suzy mainprice Morgan equine Llandeilo is a puppy farmer also they are vile

[GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]

Aw fuck. You'd think by now that there would have been enough TV shock horror documentaries to have made people aware of the bloody basics when getting a puppy.

There was some research a few years back which showed that dogs that came from puppy farms had a higher rate of behavioural problems as they grew up. Hardly surprising, given the conditions.

[Walney]

We have a beautiful basset after doing lots of research and this makes me so incredibly upset. When we were looking I did keep seeing adverts for bassets in Carmarthenshire so I am sadly not surprised, even though bassets aren’t even a very popular breed so I hate to think of how bad it is for french bulldogs and all the poodle and cocker spaniel crosses. This is disgraceful and needs to be shut down, bassets are known for health problems so need responsible and knowledgeable breeding to produce healthy animals and loving pets, they are such a lovely and gentle breed.