By TOM HORAN

Despite increased funding and new breeding codes, experts say dogs are still being treated like “production line animals”.

In May, the State Government announced a $5 million investment combat puppy farms, yet councils are still unequipped to deal with them, according to the RSPCA.

Mhairi Roberts, RSPCA Victoria's animal welfare policy manager, said it was an important issue.

"Councils say that they are under-resourced to look into these issues,” she said.

A puppy farm is an intensive breeding facility that is unable to meet the psychological, social or behavioural needs of the animals, and often operates (often operating in) squalid conditions.

Ms Roberts said most puppy farms were located in rural areas and went “under the radar”, meaning a community effort was needed to identify them. A hotline has been set up for community tip-offs, as well as an investigations unit.

Caulfield Veterinary Clinic vet nurse Rebecca Pratt said she had seen a number of puppies and breeding dogs from puppy farms.

“No animal deserves to be cooped up in a cage and mistreated like that,” Ms Pratt said. “They become really timid and shy and won’t trust people.”

The minimum age for a puppy to be sold is 12 weeks, before which they must be microchipped, yet puppies are often younger than that when sold and aren’t microchipped.

“We can’t tell if they’ve been vaccinated or wormed,” Ms Pratt said. “If they have, it is often not done properly and it can lead to health issues.”

She said a breeding dog that had come to the clinic made a good recovery, but this was not always the case.

“It can take months for them to come out of their shell, some may not recover at all.”

If you wish to give the RSPCA details of a suspected puppy farm, ring 03 9224 2222.