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PET store owners will be required to keep detailed records on every dog and cat offered for sale under new regulations designed to crack down on illegal puppy mills.
The records must include where animal were sourced.
The regulations were introduced to Parliament last year and came into effect July 1.
Further restrictions will be applied which limit pet stores to selling animals sourced only from registered shelters and pounds.
Other legislation in the works involves the introduction of mandatory pre-mating vet checks, limiting breeding dogs to five litters, and restricting the number of breeding dogs in businesses to 10 by 2020.
The RSPCA has received $5 million to establish a special investigations unit to uncover and prosecute illegal puppy farms.
Agriculture Minister Jaala Pulford said the regulations followed community concern about the puppy mills.
“Consumers want to know where their new pets have come from and be confident that they’re not the product of cruel and illegal puppy farms – that’s why we’ve tightened regulations on pet shops and will enforce even tighter restrictions to crack down on illegal puppy farms," she said.
“Our plan will smash the puppy farm business model, leaving rogue operators with nowhere to hide.”
RSPCA Victoria chief executive officer Liz Walker said it was a positive step.
“I am pleased that the Victorian Government is continuing the pressure and taking steps to make cruel and abhorrent puppy and kitten factories a thing of the past in Victoria," she said.
“This support from the Victorian government will help RSPCA authorised officers target unlawful breeding operations as well as their sales channels as we work together with local councils to send a strong message to rogue breeders that there is no place for their disgraceful practices here in Victoria.”
The regulations come soon after it was revealed that one Pyramid Hill puppy farm was not inspected for 16 years.
Members of the Peace family faced more than 200 charges of animal cruelty over their puppy breeding operation.
RSPCA inspectors, Loddon Shire officers and Victoria Police found 196 dogs and puppies kept in pens in four separate sheds at the Pyramid Hill property during raids in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
Thirty-one dogs were dangerously underweight, 35 were suffering severe matting of the fur from fecal matter, 30 had dental disease, 10 suffered ear infections and three had untreated wounds.