A Sunbury canine show became centre stage for a protest against state government changes to dog breeding laws last week.
Sunbury Canine Club’s all-breed championship dog show at Clarke Oval drew 2500 entries of more than 150 dog breeds, but anger and frustration among breeders halted festivities at noon for “a public display of unity”.
Dogs Victoria president Wayne Fleming invited guests to protest the proposed reforms to the Domestic Animal Act, which will force dog owners to comply with commercial breeding rules from which they were previously exempt.
The reforms, tabled in Parliament in recent weeks, aim to eradicate all puppy farms and entice more families to adopt abandoned pets.
Under the new laws, anyone owning six or more breeding dogs must house them in a commercial-grade kennel with concrete floors, six-foot high solid walls and built-in heating and cooling.
The parliamentary review committee’s final deliberations on December 6 will be vital for pedigree breeders.
Mr Fleming said removing the breeding exemption would have “serious unintended consequences” and would “do the opposite of its intent”.
“It will force all breeders with one fertile female to register with their local council as a domestic animal business, complying with the code of practice for … breeding and rearing businesses.
“The legislation is more suited to control and regulate large commercial operations, not small scale hobby breeders, who breed occasionally, and in a home environment to ensure the public can get the best, most well socialised, puppies possible.”
Mr Fleming said Dogs Victoria would continue to work with the state government and the dog breeding sector to establish a breeder licensing framework that would safeguard the future of pedigree dogs.
Northern Victoria MP Daniel Young said the proposed changes “appear to be an overreach”.
“The proposals are too narrow,” Mr Young said.
“I am concerned about reports that there has been no transparency in the review that led to these proposed amendments.”
He said the amendments would also have a negative impact on hobby breeders, who would be faced with the burden of becoming a domestic animal business, even if they only sell one litter.
“I am calling on the Andrews government to take this bill back to the drawing board and make changes fairer to the likes of VCA, and to consult with breed clubs on proposed changes that will support the intent of the bill,” Mr Young said.
