By: Dabria Yiong | Edited by: Lisa Foo

An important issue in animal welfare is the breeding and sale of pets. Adding on to previous articles about kitten factories and puppy mills, The Animal Welfare Station would like to take a closer look at the houses of some breeders, also known as backyard breeders, and put them in  light. Are they better than factories and mills? Are there ethical and responsible home breeders? Read on to find out more. 

Kitten factories and puppy mills are characterised by their cramped living spaces and poor sanitation. With profit maximisation as their aim, owners of such pet factories and mills do not take into account the welfare of both parent and baby. As more learn about the inhumane industry, potential pet owners have started to look into home breeders as an ethical and responsible alternative. In fact, some may believe that obtaining pets from home breeders is tantamount to adopting, as most breeders describe their services as "adoption with fees".

Illegal and Unauthorised

However, patronising a home breeder is closer to supporting factory farms than it is to adopting from a shelter. As many breeders are not licensed, they operate illegally by disguising their business as an 'adoption' service. By misleading buyers to believe the  litters of cats or dogs were conceived by 'accident', home breeders have schemingly shunned away from the authorities. Additionally, home breeders have been operating away from the public eye through secret chats on social media platforms.

Without further information on the living conditions of these animals, the secret and covert operation of home breeders should already speak for itself. 

Poor Animal Welfare

The living conditions of animals in the homes of backyard breeders may not always be horrifying, though that is usually the case. With a couple of breeding animals producing multiple litters, it is not uncommon for home breeders to hoard domestic animals. Without proper medical attention or space, these animals are vulnerable to fleas, nutritional problems and others. In fact, even with a clean and conducive physical environment, the mental state of these animals tell a different story. 

Made to breed only to have their babies sold, these animals undergo severe distress. While the crying and whimpering lasts for a few days, one cannot be certain if there is any long term psychological damage to the parent animal. On the flip side, kittens and puppies suffer from behavioural issues if they are separated from their parents at an early age. Similar to human children, the presence of a parental figure during the developmental stage is crucial.

In addition, inbreeding may occur due to the limited number of mature animals. Unsurprisingly, inbreeding leads to a myriad of genetic problems that may or may not be physical. As such, kittens and puppies which appear normal and healthy may only show symptoms of such health problems years after. Some examples of health problems include immunity disorders and congenital abnormalities. 

Inbreeding is a grave issue that does not only occur in the homes of backyard breeders but in factories and mills too. As such, another article may be needed to address the consequences of inbreeding.

Adopt, Don't Shop

Revisiting an earlier theme on 'adopting' animals from backyard breeders, by patronising backyard breeders, individuals are supporting the unwanted pet population. While pet owners may take good care of their kittens and puppies, the same cannot be said for the unsold babies and retired parent animals. As such, the purchase of pets is fundamentally flawed and cannot be justified by backyard breeders.

Furthermore, the motivation for individuals to purchase their pets from backyard breeders is usually financial, thus highlighting another similarity between backyard breeders and breeding farms which are able to offer pets at low prices due to their low operational costs. 

Rounding up this article, tighter restrictions should be imposed to ensure that backyard breeders cease to operate, regardless of their licensing status. 

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