POORLY RUN PUPPY farms and illegally smuggled pups have unfortunately become an all too common sight in our news headlines. The pandemic made the situation worse with more and more people looking to bring a dog into their homes during lockdown.
This ever-increasing demand for puppies was seized upon by those looking to make a quick profit. Flat faced breeds known as Brachys which include French Bulldogs, Pugs and Shih Tzus soared in popularity.
Brachys however, can have trouble breeding naturally. Therefore, some breeders particularly those concerned with maximum output are increasingly turning to artificial insemination. Artificial insemination is also used to create so called designer cross breeds such as Pomskys, a Pomeranian/ Husky cross that cannot physically breed together.
Veterinary interventions
There are three types of artificial insemination in dogs, two of which are invasive procedures. One is Surgical Insemination, a highly invasive procedure still legal in Ireland but banned in Britain.
It involves a general anaesthetic with implantation done through an incision into the abdominal cavity. Transcervical Insemination does not require general anaesthetic but is still an invasive procedure.
Regardless of which procedure is used, bloods must first be taken from the bitch to determine her progesterone levels. Human intervention doesn’t stop there though, due to the large heads of flat faced breeds like bulldogs, pups often must be delivered by caesarean section.
According to the Veterinary Practice Act 2005, the taking of bloods, semen analysis, transcervical, surgical insemination and caesarean sections are veterinary medical procedures and therefore by law should only be carried out by a registered veterinary practitioner.
Is this ethical?
There is absolutely a need for a wider public debate about whether such invasive, unnecessary procedures being carried out on dogs, to fulfil our demand for a socially constructed aesthetic is justified.
However, what is deeply concerning is that veterinarians are now increasingly worried that untrained people are carrying out these procedures in unregulated canine fertility clinics.
In February, Dr Tim Kirby of Petbond came before the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee and laid bare the reality of what is going on in these clinics; “In essence, they are dungeons of misery as unskilled, untrained people perform invasive and illegal acts”.
Ireland is following a similar trend seen in Britain with unregulated canine fertility clinics popping up across the country. Many of these clinics are operating from social media accounts or websites with only mobile phones for contact details. Others are even offering training to members of the public on canine artificial insemination procedures.
Lucrative stud dog businesses specialising in frozen canine semen are also on the increase to facilitate these clinics. As the ISPCA told the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee; “canine sperm is being bought and sold for thousands of Euros”.
What is most shocking about all of this, is the fact that it is completely unregulated. Canine fertility clinics and canine artificial insemination have become the wild west of animal welfare.
Previously canine artificial insemination and canine semen were confined to the greyhound industry and professional breeders but now it is being used to increase profits and speed up the supply of ‘in demand’ breeds.
Apart from artificial insemination in greyhounds, the Department of Agriculture does not maintain any list of canine fertility clinics nor do they keep a register of breeding stud dogs.
Regulation needed
We are literally in the dark as to the scale of these activities. It is not good enough for the Department to fob off all responsibility to the Veterinary Council of Ireland. Canine fertility clinics need Government oversight and regulation.
Robust regulation of canine fertility clinics and a register for the sale of canine semen would not only make it easier to prosecute those engaged in illegal activities but would also make it far easier for revenue to monitor the financial activity. After all, dog breeding can be very, very profitable for those involved.
However, even if the clinics are regulated and even if carried out by a veterinarian, surgical insemination should be heavily restricted if not banned altogether. It is an invasive procedure that puts dogs at unnecessary risk.
It was, therefore, deeply disappointing that Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue ruled out any plans to change the law in this area. When asked in a parliamentary question, he said that his “Department has not received any welfare complaints in relation to the procedure and that there are no related policy proposals being considered currently”.
This is not good enough. The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 was a significant milestone in animal welfare in Ireland. However, it is vital that laws keep pace with the reality on the ground. Regular engagement with those on the frontline of animal welfare is essential. It was for that reason that I initiated the post-enactment scrutiny of the Act at the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture.
The witnesses who have come before the Committee to give statements on canine fertility clinics have left members in no doubt as to the absolute need for far more robust regulation and oversight. Reputable dog breeders have nothing to fear from regulation but those who trade in misery and cruelty must be brought to heel.
In the meantime, I would encourage any member of the public who comes across an illegal fertility clinic or who has concerns regarding animal welfare to report it to the Department of Agriculture and Marine, at animalwelfare@agriculture.gov.ie.
Senator Lynn Boylan is Sinn Féin spokesperson on Climate Justice and a member of the Oireachtas Agriculture and Climate Action & Environment Committees.
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