More than 250 labradoodles – many who have never been in contact with a human – are in “urgent” need of a home after RSPCA Tasmania shut down the state’s biggest puppy breeder over animal welfare concerns.
Tasmanian Labradoodles surrendered all of its dogs last Friday in a “landmark out-of-court agreement” that led to the immediate and permanent closure of the business, the RSPCA said in a statement.
The agreement comes after the RSPCA brought 70 charges relating to alleged overbreeding between April 2021 and February 2023 against the owners of Tasmanian Labradoodles in early 2023. Guardian Australia has contacted the company for comment.
Despite the RSPCA declaring an “historic win for animal welfare in Tasmania”, all of the surrendered labradoodles now need to be rehomed for “a second chance at a loving life”.
The chief executive of RSPCA Tasmania, Andrea Dawkins, has called for urgent donations, veterinary care, foster homes and adoption of the pups.
“Many of these dogs have never been in contact with a human, they will need so much care before they are ready to be part of a loving family with the life they so deserve,” Dawkins said.
“This is unprecedented, it is expensive, and the RSPCA needs your urgent help.”
The call out is for families in Tasmania, not interstate, to reduce stress for the dogs “that have already been through so much”.
Fostering a dog will be free, Dawkins said, while the adoption fee is $495.
Each dog will require at least $1,000 of vet checks, vaccinations, behavioural assistance, food and temporary housing. The animal protection service has set a $300,000 goal to help provide the care.
“We’re asking Tasmanians to open their homes and hearts to these beautiful animals, that deserve a second chance at a loving life,” Dawkins said.
“Despite their rough start, they have an invincible love of humans. They are friendly and loving, with a gentle temperament that makes them the most ideal family pet.”
‘Laws must change’
Dawkins thanked the Department of Natural Resources for their assistance investigating Tasmanian Labradoodles, including the provision of two vets for a general health check of the dogs.
RSPCA Tasmania urged the state government to quickly change the Animal Welfare (Dogs) Regulations 2016 to mandate “registration, standards and conduct for breeding” and to “ban puppy farms”, Dawkins said.
“The reality is that the laws have failed all of us,” Dawkins said. “The existing law does nothing [to] deter this from happening and nothing to penalise when it does.”
“Under the existing laws, the Tasmanian Labradoodle owners could have faced a maximum penalty of just $273,000, which is just a cost of doing business for a puppy farm with an estimated revenue of around $2m.”
“The laws must change. We cannot let a situation like this happen ever again.”
In a statement released last year by their lawyer, the couple who own the company said: “We have been breeding labradoodles for 20 years and have been feeding our dogs a 100% raw diet, which meets their nutritional needs. This way, we can mate them on every cycle.”
