THE Dublin and Wicklow branches of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals recently discovered and rescued dogs from a horrendous site of puppy breeding.

This 'puppy farm' was found to have accommodated nearly 80 dogs that were mass-produced in order to sell them on as pure-bred designer puppies.

To unknowing buyers, who did not realise the appalling conditions that the poor animals were stashed in, it might seem idyllic to obtain a puppy of any breed for a lower price in comparison to reputable breeders. Unfortunately, there exists a number of these puppy mills that store dogs in overcrowded confinement, only to discard them after they have thoroughly exhausted their breeding capabilities.

The dogs in this case were found locked up in crates, covered in their own faeces. The dreadful conditions were exemplified by the almost absolute lack of food and clean water. They were kept in the darkness and had also contracted illnesses of all sorts, including flea infestations, cataracts and diseased teeth.

Puppy farms have a notorious reputation for grossly over-breeding females to maintain a high turnover. A tax-free business, these inhumane activities have made it an extremely lucrative industry that provides high profit margins to the farmers.

Earlier this year three men from Co Down were convicted for breeding dogs in this manner. They had kept more than 100 pedigree dogs in rat-infested concrete pits where the only food was cattle carcasses. The veterinarian who investigated the scene claimed it was "akin to lions tearing apart their prey". Many of the dogs had to be put down because of the suffering inflicted on them.

More recently, two men in Co Carlow were convicted when an ISPCA inspector discovered some of their dogs dead and the remaining dogs in a very serious condition and requiring immediate attention.

Voluntary groups such as Paws, Ash and the West Cork Animal Welfare Group have long attempted to mitigate this problem. However, without decent funding, and with problems of understaffing, it can be difficult to tackle the issue on a large scale. A lot of these animals need permanent homes to provide them with sufficient care and attention. A common misconception is that purchasing dogs from puppy farms is helping to rescue them, when it is in fact driving the cruel industry forward. Demand only encourages supply, as far as the farmers are concerned.

Last Sunday, Fine Gael Wicklow deputy Andrew Doyle called on the Minister for the Environment to introduce regulation governing puppy farming. In the past a working group was set up to address the issues with the management of dog breeding farms. The group recommended the introduction of a form of inspection and licensing measures to tackle cruelty on dog-breeding farms. In 2006 minister Dick Roche announced that these new regulations would be implemented. However, no proper legislation has yet been put in place to protect these unfortunate animals from being woefully mistreated. While the practices of the farm owners are not orthodox, they are also not entirely illegal, which makes it all the more difficult for organisations like the ISPCA to shut down such operations.

- Suhaila Kassim