Back street dog breeding is ‘rife’ (From Swindon Advertiser)

Back street dog breeding is ‘rife’

9:40am Sunday 21st March 2010 in

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AT three years old Staffordshire bull terrier Peewhe should be a healthy 17kg – instead he weighs as a dog half his size and was so malnourished he began to eat his tail.

His story should be a tragic one-off. Instead it is something that is becoming more and more common thanks in part to Swindon’s booming backstreet breeding industry.

Rescuer Claire Lingard said that Swindon is not just “terrible” for DIY dog breeding – it is one of the worst places for it in the county.

Claire, of Wiltshire Staffordshire Bull Terrier Rescue in Collingbourne Kingston near Marlborough, has 47 dogs in her care or with ‘foster’ families at the moment and 39 on the waiting list.

“Swindon is terrible for this,” she said. “These herberts think they can make some money selling Stafford pups but half the time the dogs they are selling aren’t even Staffords.

“They breed them with all sorts, bigger dogs. I had one stand on its hind legs the other day and lick my face – there’s no way that was a pure Stafford..”

Little Peewhe was rescued from a home in Calne on Thursday by a family of dog lovers who took him to Wiltshire Staffordshire Bull Terrier Rescue immediately.

He had been kept locked in a crate and was laying in his own faeces and urine for so long it had altered the colour of the glossy white fur on his chest, legs and stomach.

“When I am out working I have to remain professional,” said Claire.

“But when I get back and I examine the dogs I can’t help but get irate. There are some truly irresponsible breeders out there with the dog the last thing on their minds.”

Just a few years ago Swindon was flooded with litters of rare blue Staffords as inexperienced and irresponsible breeders attempted to bump up their income, Claire told the Adver.

“They can mostly make £500 a puppy but these were going for £650. Of course they weren’t rare blue Staffords. They had been bred from another dog.”

Of the dogs Claire sees in her job just one in 50 is pure Staffordshire bull terrier.

“You can’t get a Stafford crossbreed,” she said.

“If a Stafford is bred with another dog, the puppies are just mixed breed.”

Claire gets around 60 calls a day from Stafford owners looking to rehouse their pet.

“There are very few genuine people,” she said.

Luckily Peewhe, who is being treated for demodex mange, was reached just in the nick of time but it will be months before he recovers from his shocking ordeal.

He has seen the vet and been given immediate treatment for the mange and other infections and is now on a ration of six meals per day.

The RSPCA have been informed about Peewhe’s sickening treatment and Claire hopes his owners will be dealt with in the manner they deserve.

Claire Lingard says the media have helped to demonise Staffordshire pups leading people to believe they are aggressive and volatile.

With three dogs of her own and with more than 40 in her care, Claire of Wiltshire Staffordshire Bull Terrier Rescue, knows only too well how docile and lovable the breed can be.

“Whenever I see a television news report or a paper reporting about Staffords, the photograph is always of a pitbull. It’s always got all its teeth on show and snarling.

“This just gives people the impression that Staffords are violent dogs when actually it is not in their nature to be aggressive.

“They are a very affectionate breed and if mine had the choice they would be surgically attached to my lap.”

Contrary to the image that Staffords are the desired accessory of thugs to use to threaten and intimidate, Claire says in actual fact most of the dogs she has rehomed have gone to elderly couples because of their loyal and loving nature.

“They are very popular dogs among those who understand the breed,” she said.

“They are more likely to lick you to death than attack you.”