Last month, Gwydir Shire Council fined an illegal breeding facility near Inverell, and the owner of a puppy factory near Guyra was fined in 2013 for animal welfare offences.

Mrs Scrivener said the horrors of puppy farms were hidden from the public, but the issue needed to be brought out into the public spotlight.

“Some of these dogs will most probably live their lives in darkness; they never feel grass under their feet, sun on their back and are bred continually,” she said.

“When they’re finished, they are disposed of.” 

She has formed a group called Dogs Without Borders, which is involved in rehoming former puppy farm victims.

“They bring so much money to their owners and are then done away with like pieces of rubbish,” she said.

The former solicitor said tomorrow’s state election was an opportunity for people to have their voices heard through their votes, with Labor having committed to closing puppy farms in NSW.

Puppy farms have already been outlawed in Victoria, and the ACT also voted this week to stop puppy farms.

“This is an opportunity that people in NSW have not had before,” Mrs Scrivener said.

“For the leader of the opposition to release a policy around animal welfare is pretty significant to highlight the closure of puppy farms, not to mention the other areas of animal welfare.

“People need to be aware, by the stroke of a pencil, the things that they have fought for years could come to fruition – we need to speak with our vote.” 

The animal lover said the only way legislation like this would work was if all relevant agencies were consulted and involved.

“It might be prudent for the minister to be liaising with key rescue groups such as Dog Rescue Newcastle as they, and many others, are prepared to step up and rehome any dogs seized and to offer some direction as to how to deal with these issues, because they’ve worked in these areas for 30 years for no monetary reward,” she said.

“The informal rescue groups and societies take on and rehome far more than the council pounds.

“It’s excellent that Luke Foley has stepped up to the plate, but this is the first step.

“We need to work together both paid and unpaid, both formal and informal organisations in NSW, to bring about longstanding successful change, to implement the laws and follow through the with laws that are proposed.” 

If the legislation was enacted, it would be retrospective, meaning existing puppy farms would be shut down, such as those found in Inverell, Guyra and surrounding areas.

“Anything with more than 10 breeding bitches will be classified as illegal,” Mrs Scrivener said.

“They would be shut down, that’s my understanding.”