Ontario introduces legislation to crack down on puppy mills, unethical dog breeding

Ontario’s government announced new legislation on Monday in an attempt to crack down on puppy mills and unethical dog breeding across the province.

A spokesperson for Ontario’s solicitor general said the Preventing Unethical Puppy Sales Act (PUPS), if passed, will amend the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act (PAWS) to prevent harmful dog breeding practices, impose penalties, and ensure that dogs across Ontario receive the care they deserve.

The proposed changes would prohibit various unethical dog breeding practices, including breeding a female dog more than three times in a two-year period and/or breeding more than two litters from a female dog’s consecutive heat cycles, breeding a female dog that is less than a year old and separating a puppy from its mother before the age of eight weeks, among others.

In 2011, Toronto became the second city in Canada, following Richmond, B.C., to ban the sale of puppies from puppy mills in pet stores. 

Under the proposed legislation, the province will introduce minimum fines of $10,000 for anyone operating a puppy mill and $25,000 if these infractions result in the death of a dog. 

“Ontario currently has the strongest penalties for animal welfare violations in the country, and we will not stop until dogs and other animals across the province have a comprehensive and robust system to ensure their safety,” said Solicitor General Michael Kerzner.

“The Preventing Unethical Puppy Sales Act will help to ensure Ontario remains a leader in animal welfare by being the first province in the country to introduce minimum penalties specific to puppy mills.”

The province also plans to increase the number of Animal Welfare Services inspectors, which currently stands at around 100, who are stationed throughout Ontario.

The PAWS Act came into effect on Jan. 1, 2020.

The proposed laws look good on paper, said Donna Power, co-founder of Humane Initiative, which has been advocating against puppy mills for 30 years.

“But without enforcement – like real meaningful enforcement, properly resourced enforcement – the law is just words,” Power said.

The province’s current animal cruelty laws apply to all dogs in the province, whether or not they are at a puppy mill.

With files from Liam Casey of The Canadian Press