Puppy farming is rife in NSW with virtually no laws in place to protect companion animals from this cruel form of breeding, NSW MP Emma Hurst says.
Ms Hurst's comments follow the release of a NSW parliamentary report that found pets were not being protected from abuse in NSW.
"This inquiry has exposed just how pathetic our current laws are," said Ms Hurst, an Animal Justice Party member.
The Select Committee on Puppy Farming in NSW made 18 recommendations in the report.
"The most important recommendation is that puppy farming must become illegal in NSW," Ms Hurst said.
"The Animal Justice Party has proposed legislation to outlaw this cruelty and, if the government won't support that Bill, then they must propose legislation themselves to stop this industry running rife in NSW and causing thousands of dogs to suffer."
She said NSW had "some of the weakest laws to protect companion animals across the country". "Puppy farmers are moving to NSW in droves. It is unbelievable that this state has had multiple inquiries into puppy farming and the Liberal/National government has repeatedly failed to act to outlaw puppy farming in NSW."
Dog Rescue Newcastle president Sue Barker said there are "a lot of hidden unethical puppy farms in the Hunter".
One example of the problem occurred this week with an eight-month-old female groodle. She has a suspected case of hip dysplasia due to alleged poor breeding practices. She now has a carer to see her through her surgery and rehabilitation.
Ms Barker said puppy farms are "basically breeding for money". She urged people not to buy puppies from breeders unless they are registered and "you can see the parents and where the dog was bred".
"Beware of buying puppies that are handed over at any location, other than the properties where they were bred."
The select committee found that unethical breeders had taken advantage of higher demand for puppies, arising during the pandemic, to "sell puppies bred in poor conditions for a large profit".
Committee chairman Mick Veitch said people "want assurance that the companion animals they welcome into their families have been ethically bred, well cared for and will grow up happy and healthy".
The committee was greatly concerned that "individuals with animal cruelty convictions have been able to continue operating as breeders". Another concern was the "growing use" of breeding businesses arranging for sold pets to return for breeding.
As well as recommending puppy farms be outlawed, the committee found there should be caps on the number of dogs any breeder can have and the number of litters any dog can be forced to endure. It also called for a system for "traceability and tracking of animals", properly funded enforcement of cruelty laws and pet shop sales restricted to rescue animals only.
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