[doganjo]

Anyone want to discuss this?

THE KENNEL Club believes it is not registering puppies bred by commercial breeders.

  But it has written to any breeder who registers five or more litters a year – those which under UK law need to be licensed – asking to see evidence of their licence.

  So far two-thirds of those have responded, and the KC says it has stopped registering puppies from the other third.

  However, chairman Steve Dean said at Wednesday’s question time, KC staff are not law enforcers.

  "The fact that two-thirds have responded to our request may or may not demonstrate that they are breeding as we would wish, but it is a way along the path,” he said. "Of the remaining third, we’re in various areas of dispute with them and have not registered their litters to date, and unless things improve we won’t.

  "Some people are very slippery; we rejected one litter and the same litter came forward in someone else’s name. We do take care and we do have a system which tries to pick out changes which alert us.

  "But we don’t believe we are registering puppies – and certainly not many – from people we would classify as a puppy farmer.”

  KC secretary Caroline Kisko explained that councils did not apply the licensing laws evenly, so some breeders may not have licences because their local authority has not asked them to get one. in these cases the KC has asked the breeders involved to join its Assured Breeder Scheme (ABS).

  "That way we can inspect their premises, and as ABS members they would get a more thorough inspection that way than by local authorities, on the whole,” she said.

  "Our number one registrant, who registers most litters in any single year than anyone else, is Guide Dogs for the Blind, and no one would accuse it of being a puppy farmer. But there will always be loopholes, and if you know someone who is a genuine puppy farmer – not just someone who breeds more than you would like – a large, commercial breeder who doesn’t care about welfare standards and registers with us – let us know, but don’t do it in open forum. We will then look into it.”

[lachlanandmarcus]

The other thing they should be looking out for is breeders registering multiple (by which I mean 4, 5 plus) different breeds of dog. I know some genuine breeders specialise in say 2 breeds but much more than that and to me, it is straying into dodgy territory.

[Old Shep]

Well its a step in the right direction.  I think they are hiding their heads in the sand though if they don't think they are registering pups from puppy farms.

[Sylvia]

The KC can only rely on individual people's integrity. I could, for example breed all my whippet and pug bitches twice a year, registering just one litter per bitch. Unregistered pups , especially whippets and pugs sell for about the same money as registered.
The fact that I only breed a litter,maybe every three years is not because I want to make money but to breed(hopefully) some nice pups to go in the ring and have a bit of fun with. But, who is to police dog breeding? The KC do all they can but they can't stop human greed.
 And, what about the    mongrels that are sold for ridiculous money, call them what you will, cockapoos, jugs, sharpugs   etc., they are mongrels. (Truly, I had someone asking if I had a "little boy" pug to use on her shar-pei )
So, I'm afraid that as long as folk have £ signs in their eyes instead of the welfare of our dogs there will be a long list of unwanted dogs .
By the way, anyone in South Devon wanting a Choc. Lab bitch, 3 years old (marriage break up   or a cocker spaniel x2 also 3 years old (ditto )

[Old Shep]

By the way, anyone in South Devon wanting a Choc. Lab bitch, 3 years old (marriage break up   or a cocker spaniel x2 also 3 years old (ditto )

Never quite understood the marriage break up - must get rid of the dogs scenario. That's the sort of time when I would really NEED my dogs!


You are right with your other points Sylvia the KC can't sort all over breeding - it can only influence those that want to be KC registered.  But it should lead the way never the less.

[Moleskins]

Never quite understood the marriage break up - must get rid of the dogs scenario. That's the sort of time when I would really NEED my dogs!

He's at work, she's at home looking after the child, between them they can manage.
Separately he's at work so can't have the dog.
She's looking after the child.
Simple, doesn't work when one person has all the looking after to do.

[Mrs Snoodles]

I was gifted (and yep, that really is an accurate way to describe things), the most amazing working cocker this year, through a marriage break up.   In their case, they had to sell their home and move according to jobs. One in a town flat, the other in a caravan whilst building a new home.  They simply couldn't keep this lad, it wouldn't have been fair on him (or the other 6 gun dogs).  Luckily for me, I got the call and now have the best beating, general shoot dog I could dream of and he is very contented

As for the KC regs, this won't really help that much.  Non registered dogs still sell. people are choosing crosses over pedigrees our way at the moment, hands down.  People have this ridiculous idea that somehow it will bring the best of breeds together.... They never seem to consider that a cross could bring the worse out too!...
My friend has a ESS crossed with a staffie. So you have this insane biting creature that can leap like no other. Great.

[doganjo]

As for the KC regs, this won't really help that much.  Non registered dogs still sell. people are choosing crosses over pedigrees our way at the moment, hands down.  People have this ridiculous idea that somehow it will bring the best of breeds together.... They never seem to consider that a cross could bring the worse out too!...
My friend has a ESS crossed with a staffie. So you have this insane biting creature that can leap like no other. Great.

Exactly, well put.  Been saying this for long enough but usually get shot down in flames - then there's the health issues.  This is why we really do need legislation - the KC has no teeth!

[Moleskins]

As for the KC regs, this won't really help that much.  Non registered dogs still sell. people are choosing crosses over pedigrees our way at the moment, hands down.  People have this ridiculous idea that somehow it will bring the best of breeds together.... They never seem to consider that a cross could bring the worse out too!...
My friend has a ESS crossed with a staffie. So you have this insane biting creature that can leap like no other. Great.

Exactly, well put.  Been saying this for long enough but usually get shot down in flames - then there's the health issues.  This is why we really do need legislation - the KC has no teeth!

I can't see how that all fits together, a person owns a dog, crosses it with their neighbours dog, sells the pups.
Kennel Club can't do a thing about it. Dangerous dogs legislation doesn't work so how can you legislate against someone having a litter of cute cuddly dogs ?

[princesspiggy]

Never quite understood the marriage break up - must get rid of the dogs scenario. That's the sort of time when I would really NEED my dogs!

absolutely, i replaced my husband with a german shepherd dog, much more faithful 


we are getting new pup soon and saw on kc website that bitches can only have 4 litters? is that new? i never knew that before.

[Sylvia]

You can only register four litters per bitch PP, this is to try to stop the exploitation of bitches. This is good in theory but what is to stop me from keeping a bitch pup or two that has never been born (no-one comes to count the pups in a litter) and then breeding twice a year from the same bitch but registering the pups to the "ghosts"?
 

[Old Shep]

"Exactly, well put.  Been saying this for long enough but usually get shot down in flames - then there's the health issues.  This is why we really do need legislation - the KC has no teeth!"

Probably the only way we will get legislation in this government is through the recommendations of the Efra Select Committee on Dog Control and Welfare.  They have had a couple of sittings and the final one is on the 17th Oct.  You can even watch it on Parliament TV if you've nothing else to do.  Or you can read transcripts of their discussions http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmselect/cmenvfru/uc575-ii/uc57501.htm

This weeks discussion is on breeding.  I hope they don't get too bogged down with "pedigrees exposed" and cover puppy farming too.

[princesspiggy]

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/confiscated-puppies-were-uk-bound-154606454.html




i wasnt sure how this situation was illegal if the pups were in good condition - overcrowding in transportation? or is puppy farming illegal now? i dont know so excuse my ignorance.

[Old Shep]

I believe it has recently been made illegal in Ireland.  It's not illegal as such here but most should be shut down just through animal welfare laws.