English: I would like to ask for a statement from Welsh Government in response to the BBC investigation aired last night into the cruelty on puppy farms in Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion. West Wales is shamefully known as the puppy capital of the UK. This is not something to be proud of. It certainly isn't something that we would want to advertise on our tourist brochures. The programme, which I would like to commend the BBC for, showed cruelty beyond belief in council-registered puppy farms. It showed hundreds of dogs living in filthy, dark, damp and cold conditions. These premises are inspected annually by inspectors and vets, people who are supposed to prioritise the welfare of the animals. A number of premises have been inspected and found wanting, with breaches concerning poor animal welfare logged by inspectors and vets. This wasn't a one-off, they had consistently failed to meet recommendations and had been issued with warnings. Despite this, no action was taken against the breeders and licences were reissued year on year. In some instances, not even basic needs were being met, such as in one site near Llandysul that featured in the programme. I wrote to both Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire councils yesterday and was amazed to find that they responded in less than 24 hours. So, I know now that I need to get the BBC on side if I want a prompt response. However, what has appalled me in one of those responses is that one of the sites featured last night in Llandysul has been allowed by Ceredigion council to carry on breeding, and, I quote, with a three month-only licence. You tell that to dogs and puppies that are in those conditions, because I'm not convinced that these premises will keep to the conditions that have been applied to them. History tells you that that is not going to happen. There was limited access to clean water and bedding - and I'm pleased to say that since that programme some action has been taken in some of the premises features, but it shouldn't have taken a BBC investigation for this to happen. The legislation that is in place to protect these dogs is clearly failing. These animals do not have a voice to speak for themselves, so we have an absolute duty to do it for them. I've raised these issues in this Chamber many, many times, and I can clearly remember this issue being highlighted in the 1980s by Esther Rantzen. That was over 30 years ago, and yet we're still here now. Carmarthenshire claims a 'proactive approach' - I quote - but the sheer volume of upheld complaints suggests that something is radically wrong in this process. Minister, I'd like to know what immediate action Welsh Government are taking, in light of this report, to protect the welfare of both the puppies and the adult dogs at the puppy farms featured in this programme. And it's clear to me, from the response that I've had swiftly overnight, that these authorities are overwhelmed. In that case, would the Minister consider limiting the number of licences, limiting the number of dogs in those licensed premises - although Ceredigion, to be fair, has done that - and also expanding the care that - the 1:20 dog ratio, making that increased? One to 20 is not good enough - I said it at the time - considering the numbers of puppies that those dogs will have. That number has to be increased. The welfare of these animals has to come first, not the profit. And the other issue I'd like to raise that was raised in that programme is the absolute failure of duty by vets, because I find that the most concerning of all. These are supposed to be experts in their field. They're supposed to have the welfare of their animals - . And yet we've seen experts saying, who were watching this programme, that they had failed in their duty. That is pretty serious. So, I'd like to know if we have any powers or any intentions to use a referral mechanism to the British Veterinary Association to make sure that action is taken against those vets, who, according to this programme, failed in their duty.
Welsh: Hoffwn i ofyn am ddatganiad gan Lywodraeth Cymru mewn ymateb i ymchwiliad y BBC a ddarlledwyd neithiwr i'r creulondeb ar ffermydd cŵn bach yn Sir Gaerfyrddin a Cheredigion. Mae gan orllewin Cymru enw am fod yn brifddinas cŵn bach y DU, a hynny er mawr gywilydd. Nid rhywbeth i ymfalchïo ynddo yw hyn. Yn sicr, nid yw'n rhywbeth y byddem yn dymuno'i hysbysebu ar ein llyfrynnau i dwristiaid. Dangosodd y rhaglen, a hoffwn i ganmol y BBC amdani, greulondeb anghredadwy mewn ffermydd cŵn bach sy'n gofrestredig gan y cyngor. Dangosodd cannoedd o gŵn yn byw mewn cyflwr brwnt, tywyll, llaith ac oer. Arolygir y safleoedd hyn yn flynyddol gan arolygwyr a milfeddygon, pobl sydd i fod i flaenoriaethu lles yr anifeiliaid. Mae nifer o safleoedd wedi'u harolygu a chanfuwyd gwendidau ynddynt, ac mae arolygwyr a milfeddygon wedi cofnodi achosion o dorri rheolau ynghylch lles anifeiliaid gwael. Nid unwaith yn unig oedd hyn, roedden nhw wedi methu'n gyson â bodloni argymhellion ac wedi cael rhybuddion. Er gwaethaf hyn, ni chymerwyd unrhyw gamau yn erbyn y bridwyr a chawsant eu hail-drwyddedu flwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn. Mewn rhai achosion, nid oedd anghenion sylfaenol hyd yn oed yn cael eu diwallu, megis mewn un safle ger Llandysul a oedd yn ymddangos yn y rhaglen. Ysgrifennais at gyngor Ceredigion a chyngor Sir Gaerfyrddin ddoe ac roeddwn i wedi rhyfeddu o weld eu bod wedi ymateb mewn llai na 24 awr. Felly, nawr rwy'n gwybod bod angen i mi sicrhau bod gen i'r BBC ar fy ochr er mwyn cael ymateb prydlon. Fodd bynnag, yr hyn sydd wedi fy nychryn i yn un o'r ymatebion hynny yw bod Cyngor Ceredigion wedi caniatáu i un o'r safleoedd a gafodd sylw neithiwr yn Llandysul barhau i fridio, ac, rwy'n dyfynnu, ar drwydded tri mis yn unig. Dywedwch chi hynny wrth gŵn a chŵn bach sy'n byw dan yr amodau hynny, oherwydd nid wyf i wedi fy argyhoeddi y bydd y safleoedd hyn yn cadw at yr amodau sydd wedi'u cymhwyso iddynt. Mae hanes yn dweud wrthych nad fydd hynny'n digwydd. Roedd darpariaeth brin o ddŵr glân a lle cysgu yno - ac rwy'n falch o ddweud bod rhywfaint o gamau wedi'u cymryd ers y rhaglen honno mewn rhai o nodweddion y safle, ond ni ddylai fod angen ymchwiliad gan y BBC cyn i hyn ddigwydd. Mae'n amlwg bod y ddeddfwriaeth sydd ar waith i ddiogelu'r cŵn hyn yn methu. Nid oes gan yr anifeiliaid hyn lais i siarad drostyn nhw eu hunain, felly mae dyletswydd glir arnom ni i wneud hynny ar eu rhan. Rwyf wedi codi'r materion hyn yn y Siambr hon lawer gwaith, a gallaf gofio'n glir y tynwyd sylw at y mater hwn yn y 1980au gan Esther Rantzen. Roedd hynny dros 30 mlynedd yn ôl, ac eto dyma ni nawr o hyd. Mae Sir Gaerfyrddin yn honni ymagwedd ragweithiol - rwy'n dyfynnu - ond mae'r llwyth o gŵynion a gadarnhawyd yn awgrymu bod rhywbeth sylweddol o'i le yn y broses hon. Gweinidog, hoffwn i wybod pa gamau gweithredu brys y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd, yn sgil yr adroddiad hwn, i ddiogelu lles cŵn bach a chŵn llawndwf yn y ffermydd cŵn bach a drafodir yn y rhaglen hon. Ac mae'n amlwg i mi, o'r ymateb a gefais yn gyflym dros nos, fod yr awdurdodau hyn wedi eu llethu. Os felly, a fyddai'r Gweinidog yn ystyried cyfyngu ar nifer y trwyddedau, gan gyfyngu ar nifer y cŵn yn y safleoedd trwyddedig hynny - er bod Ceredigion, a bod yn deg, wedi gwneud hynny - a hefyd ehangu'r gofal - y gymhareb cŵn 1:20, cynyddu honno? Nid yw un i 20 yn ddigon da - dywedais i hyn ar y pryd - o ystyried nifer y cŵn bach y bydd y cŵn hynny yn esgor arnyn nhw. Rhaid cynyddu'r nifer hwnnw. Lles yr anifeiliaid hyn sydd i ddod yn gyntaf, nid yr elw. A'r mater arall yr hoffwn i ei godi a godwyd yn y rhaglen honno yw'r methiant llwyr o ran dyletswydd milfeddygon, gan mai hyn sy'n peri'r pryder mwyaf oll i mi. Mae'r rhain i fod yn arbenigwyr yn eu maes. Maen nhw i fod i ddiogelu lles eu hanifeiliaid - . Ac eto rydym wedi gweld arbenigwyr yn dweud, rhai a oedd yn gwylio'r rhaglen hon, eu bod wedi methu yn eu dyletswydd. Mae hynny'n eithaf difrifol. Felly, hoffwn i wybod a oes gennym ni unrhyw bwerau neu fwriad i ddefnyddio dull atgyfeirio i Gymdeithas Milfeddygon Prydain i wneud yn siŵr bod camau'n cael eu cymryd yn erbyn y milfeddygon hynny sydd, yn ôl y rhaglen hon, wedi methu yn eu dyletswydd.