Warning: This article contains an image of a deceased dog, which some may find disturbing.
A puppy farm in northern NSW has been investigated by RSPCA NSW after animal activists claimed that they had found evidence of dogs living in "appalling conditions."
Bodies of deceased dogs were found around the property according to animal activist, Debra Tranter, who told Fairfax Media and the RSPCA about the property on Wednesday.
"One dog had been placed inside a dog food bag and left there to rot," said Ms Tranter, who is the founder of animal rights group Oscars Law.
The owner of the puppy farm has denied the allegations.
"There were a few issues with compliance, but that is mostly restricted to bedding and the size of the kennels," he said. "I don't know where they found the dead dog, but it certainly wasn't here."
Up to 10 RSPCA trucks arrived at the property north-west of Armidale in northern NSW on Thursday for a two-day investigation.
An RSPCA NSW spokeswoman said that after a veterinary check no dogs were removed from the property.
"While the investigation is ongoing we will not be making any further comment," she said.
According to Ms Tranter the cramped pens in which the dogs were housed were surrounded by piles of dog faeces at least a metre high, with inadequate shelters, food or water.
The puppies of the dogs found at the farm have been advertised for sale on popular dog trading websites such as Quokka, the Trading Post and Aussie Traders.
"Beautiful labradoodle puppies," reads one of the ads on the Trading Post. "All of our puppies seem to have a keen interest in the water and especially enjoy outdoor activities."
"All our puppies are raised on our family farm with children and other pets," reads another ad on Aussie trader.
The total value of the sales online is estimated at over $20,000.
The Animal Welfare League has urged people not to buy puppies from online classifieds.
"Sadly there are no ways of being able to properly check the origins of their puppies that people buy online," said spokeswoman, Rosalie Horton.
The evidence obtained by Oscars Law prompted local Nationals MP Adam Marshall to demand an investigation.
Fairfax Media also understands that Mr Marshall is unhappy that the responsibility for uncovering these operations continues to fall on animal rights groups such as Oscars Law, rather than the designated authorities, the RSPCA, the NSW Police and the Animal Welfare League.
"It is a task that should be addressed by the authorities charged with the duty to keep animals safe," said Mr Marshall.
The Northern Tablelands MP has lobbied the Minister for Primary Industries and fellow Nationals MP Katrina Hodgkinson, "for her urgent attention to the matters raised".
This is the second puppy farm in his electorate to be raided in the past year.
Mr Marshall suggested that the government could overhaul the current animal welfare system and look at establishing a separate agency to monitor these [puppy farm] operations.
"These cases highlight the need for more rigorous monitoring." he said. "If there have been breaches of the code of practice then these people need to have the book thrown at them."
Ms Hodgkinson reaffirmed her faith in the RSPCA to prosecute cases of animal cruelty.
"Animal welfare is a concern to everyone in the community and an issue the NSW government takes very seriously," she said.
"The NSW government supports the RSPCA NSW as one of the three enforcement agencies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act."
