After record numbers of puppy adoptions during the pandemic, dog breeders in Quebec are now facing a significant drop in demand, prompting some to halt breeding activities.
For many breeders, waiting lists that were sometimes calculated over years during the health crisis are now a thing of the past.
“I haven’t had a litter since February. I only have one reservation, so I haven’t decided on a litter yet because I don’t want to be dependent on puppies,” explains Nathalie Beaulé, owner of a Clumber Spaniel breeding farm in Saint-Marc-sur-le-Richelieu.
And yet, in 2020 and 2021, she had no problem finding families for her puppies.
“I had a lot of requests, I was missing the puppies,” she says, adding that she only has one litter a year.
His bitch gave birth to four puppies in her last litter and she had great difficulty selling the last one.
“And we’re only two breeders of this breed in Canada,” says Beaulé.
families wanted
Danick Pelletier owns an English Springer Spaniel kennel in the Saint-Étienne district of Lévis. He had a litter last August and had 17 reservations on his book.
“Everyone has postponed, except for two,” he says. He managed – not without effort – to accommodate his other puppies.
He now has a litter of six 3 week old puppies. Two beasts are still waiting to find a family. Anyone who had to wait two years saw exactly the opposite.
“Right now it’s a total shock. “I have 10 clients who canceled,” he drops.
Stevens LeBlanc/JOURNAL DE QUEBEC
Danick Pelletier, a breeder of English Springer Spaniels in Saint-Étienne-de-Lauzon, is struggling to find families for his three-week-old puppies despite having long waiting lists in the past. STEVENS LEBLANC/JOURNAL DE QUEBEC/QMI AGENCY)
Also golden retrievers
Golden retrievers, which are very popular dogs, are no exception. Monique Drolet, who owns a breeding farm in Beaumont, must multiply her efforts in finding families while respecting her selection criteria.
“I had a very long waiting list before. Unfortunately, I have to admit that I can now call up to 24 contacts with a range of six,” she notes.
Mrs. Drolet has one litter in front of her, but there will be no more this year. She has reservations but remains anxious.
“Will I get a lot of rejections again?” she worries.
However, if she wants to ensure the sustainability of her breeding, at some point one of her near-retirement bitches will need to breed.
“I have no choice, this is her last throw. If I don’t breed him, I’ll never have the next generation puppy I want,” she explains.
According to an animal protection organization, the currently difficult economic situation is not unrelated to the declining demand from breeders.
“Shepherds live in the same society as we do. The cost of everything has gone up. It’s not just about the food, but also the cost of the vet and everything related to breeding,” observes Chantal Allinger, Managing Director at ANIMA-Québec.
According to Ms Allinger, the economic context is also an element that is forcing some growers to think about the future of their business.
“It is certain that the breeders who have produced many puppies may also be to blame [l’inflation]”They realize it might be worth less,” she continues.
A tighter frame
This new reality comes at the same time as the provincial government’s recent announcement on animal welfare, which notably envisages the recruitment of about twenty MAPAQ inspectors. In particular, the goal is stricter compliance with the Animal Welfare Act, to which the breeders are subject.
“Some realize they cannot meet these demands and have therefore chosen to either take a hiatus to try to improve their breeding or close them altogether,” she continues.
This government announcement could also give some food for thought to dog owners who would like to breed their animal without having breeder qualifications. According to several breeders interviewed by Le Journal, this phenomenon was very common.
Chloé Demontigny Côté, President of Certified Canine Breeders of Quebec, points out that there are also many dropouts, which she says is affecting demand.
“When there’s a reversal like that, towards giving up, people aren’t in adoption mode,” she notes.