It started off when I was looking for a pet with my kids. We currently have a kitten that we adopted and we were hoping to add a puppy to the mix. I looked at shelters for adoption, filled in forms but adoption criteria is pretty stringent with long waiting lists. We also went to a few pet shops, but given that majority of pet shops are supplied by puppy mills (which we definitely do not support), we did not want to further contribute to the cause. 

 

We want a healthy puppy, ideally born from parents who are cared and loved by their owners. We can't get that assurance from pet shops. However, there are home owners who abuse their pets and are also known as "backyard breeders" who are not regulated. To sum it up, we did a list of the pros and cons of getting pets from different sources:

So I started thinking, what if we could help provide an alternative supply (to puppy mills) which prioritises puppy welfare over profits? 

 

We can start a registry where pet owners can register their dogs and look for potential mates for their dogs. Upon registration, pet owners would need to send their dogs to the vet to test for potential hereditary issues. Only dogs with a clean bill of health will be listed on our registry. Once there is a successful mating, the female dog will be taken down from the registry for a year, to allow her to rest. When the puppies are born, we will follow up with the pet owner on the puppies' vaccinations, deworming, and other necessary examinations to ensure the health of the puppies. 

 

After a year, the owner of the female dog can choose to list the dog on the registry again. We will keep track of dog matings to ensure that female dogs will no longer be listed after the third pregnancy, and dog owners would be encouraged to get their female dogs spayed. (If there is a limit for male dogs for matings as well, please feel free to share with me via email.)

 

With this, we can ensure that such puppies have been bred ethically and sustainably, while knowing that pet owners will be taking care of the dog parents; unlike puppy mills who typically put their old dogs up for rehoming or put to sleep. As for the sale of puppies, we are open to applying for an AVA license accordingly. Prices will be set by the owners of the dog parents; though a certain sum will be collected that goes towards maintaining the registry and the whole ecosystem. 

 

The above are just my thoughts and I am happy to support it for a couple of months to see if this idea resonates with anyone else as well. If it takes off, eventually we would need to cover costs to do it on a long-term basis. For now, the registry is free to use, just click Register below. Vets and dog lovers are also welcomed to register.