Advocates want more action after Chatham-Kent, Ont. puppy mill conviction

CTV Windsor’s Travis Fortnum explores the legalities around puppy mills after a Chatham-Kent pair has been convicted of running one.

A Chatham-Kent, Ont. pair has become the first to be convicted under Ontario’s new puppy mill legislation, but advocates say the law still doesn’t go far enough in preventing unethical breeding.

Earlier this month, Peter and Aganetha Wiebe pleaded guilty to four offences, including two counts of operating a puppy mill.

The charges stem from Ontario’s Preventing Unethical Puppy Sales Act, known as the PUPS Act, which was introduced in late 2023 and passed in the summer of 2024.

A step forward, but not enough?

Animal welfare advocates say while the PUPS Act is a good first step, it doesn’t do enough to prevent inhumane breeding conditions.

“We went into a property this past summer in the township of Wellesley, and we pulled out some puppy mill breeder dogs,” said Donna Power, a volunteer with Humane Initiative.

“They were so traumatized; they didn’t even know how to stand on grass.”

The PUPS Act prohibits several practices common in puppy mills, including:

- Breeding a female dog more than three times in a two-year period, or breeding more than two litters from a female dog’s consecutive heat cycles

- Breeding a female dog that is less than one year old

- Failing to keep a dog with a contagious disease away from other dogs or animals

- Failing to ensure a dog’s environment is sanitary and free from accumulation of waste

- Separating a puppy from its mother before the age of eight weeks

But some experts say the law relies too much on public complaints rather than proactive enforcement.

“I’m quite confident in saying it doesn’t go far enough,” said Amy Fitzgerald, a professor at the University of Windsor’s Department of Sociology and Criminology, who specializes in animal abuse.

Fitzgerald argued that Ontario should introduce a licensing system for breeders, which would include mandatory inspections to ensure humane conditions.

“The law, as it stands, doesn’t eliminate dogs living their lives in cages — or all the problems that come with that,” she added.

Calls for political action

With a provincial election now afoot, Power hopes people will push politicians to strengthen the law.

“I still can’t believe this is my province, that this is my home,” she said.

“We are an animal loving country and that we would stand by this.”

Fitzgerald said the best way to prevent puppy mills is for potential pet owners to do their research — verify breeders, check reputations, and when in doubt, adopt from shelters instead of buying from sellers.

“It’s always best to adopt and not shop,” she said.

“Because if you’re shopping, it’s harder to ensure that you’re not giving your money to individuals that are making money by having dogs live in really horrible situations.”