MOVES are afoot from within the Sunshine Coast Council to step up the pressure for reform of puppy breeding legislation and planning requirements following the recent report in GC&M News, November 9 edition, on calls to restrict intensive dog breeding (‘Calls for more restrictions on intensified dog breeding’).
Cr Joe Natoli, who spoke passionately during the debate over the legitimacy of the Landsborough puppy breeding facility at the council’s October 14 meeting, has put his hand up to lead the challenge.
“I have raised this [issue] with all councillors in a closed discussion session and it was agreed that I be given the responsibility to put a resolution before council to consider taking the issues to next year’s LGAQ [Local Government Association of Queensland] conference,” Cr Natoli told GC&M News.
“I have already met with the two managers responsible for animal control and it was agreed they would provide support in constructing the resolution,”
Cr Natoli said.
“Our next meeting is early next year and after that I will meet again with our two managers to formulate the resolution to council.”
“I want to ensure we have strong support from other local governments for the banning of these large puppy farms,” Cr Natoli said. He also wants to tackle the growth of rogue backyard dog breeders, saying there were reports of “horrific animal welfare issues with some of these breeders”.
“However, the law is cumbersome and not well defined and stronger measures are needed to fast track action that can be taken against these rouge breeders,” he said.
