Good Riddance Ballarat Puppy Farm
An Animal Rights Article from All-Creatures.org

FROM

The Courier Ballarat
July 27, 2005 

 

Dogs go to new homes

THE controversial Learmonth puppy farm has closed its doors to the public.

Puppy farm owner Dr Ron Wells confirmed yesterday that the Eurovision breeding facility was now closed for business and had withdrawn permanently from commercial dog work.

Ballarat City Council announced in May that it had reached an agreement with Dr Wells to close the facility on July 31.

In a statement, Dr Wells said all of its much-loved dogs had been re-housed to caring homes across Victoria.

"No dog was sacrificed and the company property will shortly be offered for sale," Dr Wells said.

"The company thanks the many organisations and dog lovers who have given it strong support over the last 21 years."

Dr Wells went on to say that the farm's spread of dogs across Victoria would continue to influence dog breeding in Victoria and Australia for many years to come.

"It is necessary to point out that unless inbreeding and uncontrolled breeding of dogs is countered by the best genetic and veterinary knowledge available, dog breeds will continue to degenerate with disastrous results," he said.

Animal Liberation Victoria campaign manager Debra Tranter said she had personally taken possession of 14 dogs from Dr Wells to rehouse.

"I visited the farm last week and there were no dogs there, so I'm very happy it's finally closed," she said.

"It has been a long campaign but it wouldn't have taken so long had the relevant authorities acted sooner.

"We will now continue our campaign against other puppy farms in Victoria and we have our eyes on two large ones as our next targets."

A Ballarat City Council spokeswoman yesterday confirmed that the puppy farm had closed.

She said a council officer inspected the facility yesterday and no dogs or puppies were found on the site.

Meanwhile, an informal Veterinary Practitioners Registration Board of Victoria hearing into the professional conduct of Dr Wells found no evidence to suggest that some dogs and pups were left untreated or treated inappropriately by staff.

Also, the panel found insufficient evidence to substantiate the claims that pups were euthanized by "knocking them on the head" and this claim had been denied by Dr Wells and his staff.

However, Dr Wells was cautioned after the panel found he had engaged in unprofessional conduct not of a serious nature over the control, storage and dispensing of drugs.

See: Say No to Animals in Pet Shops

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