One year ago a documentary, Pedigree Dogs Exposed, was aired in the UK. The Kennel Club would like to assure dog lovers that it takes the issues raised extremely seriously and that it has acted robustly in order to safeguard pedigree health. Although the Kennel Club believes that the programme gave an very unfair portrait about pedigree health – and the action that the Kennel Club has taken over the past 40 years -  this does not minimise the importance of the issues that it raised or the seriousness with which they need to continue to be addressed.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Communications Director, said: “The Kennel Club is committed to ensuring that all dogs have the opportunity to lead long healthy, happy lives. The very public spotlight on breed health in the past year has enabled us to accelerate the initiatives that we already had in place and push through some additional measures with added urgency, in order to protect the future health of our dogs.  

“These steps, in addition to the numerous significant actions taken by the Kennel Club over the past 40 years in association with veterinary experts, dog health and welfare organisations and breed experts, will go a long way towards ensuring that all dogs’ lives are as healthy and happy as possible. However, there is always more to be done and we are not complacent.

“Crufts 2009 was a great opportunity for all dog lovers to come together to discuss the future and the steps that are being taken to ensure that all dogs are bred to the highest and healthiest standards – and we hope that the show will continue to act as a platform to facilitate these discussions.

“It is vital that we continue to work with breed clubs and other organisations which have an important role in protecting the future health of our breeds, and make considered decisions that will be in the best interests of dogs. This means that the Kennel Club will collaborate with breed clubs and also take a tough line where this is necessary, to protect dogs’ long term health and welfare.

“Action needs to be taken to raise the quality of breeding amongst all dog breeders, not just those who register with the Kennel Club,  who are often the most responsible. It is a sad fact that many purebred dogs, as well as crossbreeds, are bred by people in no way connected with the Kennel Club and many of the health and rearing problems we see in the pet dog population come about due to lack of care from such people. As such we are lobbying the government to make the principles and standards of the Kennel Club Accredited Breeder Scheme mandatory for all breeders.

“The Kennel Club is taking huge strides to protect dog health and welfare and is glad to confirm that all of the key recommendations that were suggested by the RSPCA in its post-documentary report, ‘Pedigree Dog Breeding in the UK: A Major Welfare Concern?’ had already been put in place by the Kennel Club for dogs registered by it. Of course, our concern is not just with pedigree dogs – or indeed simply those dogs registered by the Kennel Club – but with every single dog, each of which deserves the best possible life, with responsible and loving owners.”

Further information on this report can be obtained here http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/2282/pg_dtl_art_news/pg_hdr_art/pg_ftr_art

STEPS TAKEN BY THE KENNEL CLUB TO IMPROVE PEDIGREE HEALTH AND WELFARE:

•        Breed standards – In January 2009 the Kennel Club announced the results of its review of all 210 breed standards. In the majority of the standards there were no changes or only minor changes. In others the changes were more extensive to ensure that they contain no wording that could in any way be interpreted as encouraging dogs to be bred for features that will prevent them seeing, walking and breathing freely.

The changes represent a major step forward for the long term health and welfare of dogs of all breeds, and have been made following a series of reviews which included breed experts and independent scientific and veterinary advisors. Breed standards are constantly reviewed by the Kennel Club and their development has benefited from extensive research that has been funded by the Kennel Club in conjunction with renowned veterinary research centres over the past 40 years.

Examples of the suggested amendments include a revised standard for the Shar Pei, which removes the exaggeration of loose skin folds across the neck, skull and legs. Other changes include the preclusion of excessive weight in Labradors and a move to stop breeders exaggerating substance in Clumber Spaniels, in order to ensure they would be fit for their original purpose of working in the field.

•        Raising standards of breeding – The future health of pedigree dogs is dependent upon the choices that breeders make and the precautions that they take in order to ensure that their dogs are as healthy and happy as possible. The Kennel Club set up the Kennel Club Accredited Breeder Scheme in 2004 and its members must use the required health tests for their breed and follow good practices for the care and socialisation of puppies and the welfare of the mothers. In 2008 the Kennel Club asked the Government to make the standards and principles of the Kennel Club Accredited Breeder Scheme compulsory throughout the country. This would mean that any breeders wanting to produce or sell puppies, whether Kennel Club registered or not, would be legally required to comply with the health and husbandry standards which the Kennel Club’s Accredited Breeder Scheme promotes. The Kennel Club is also in the process of recruiting further breeder advisers as the scheme continues to grow in size – with more than 4,000 breeders now on board.

•        Ban on close matings – It is vital that the genetic diversity of all breeds remains at a healthy level and in January 2009, the Kennel Club announced that it would crack down on the small number of breeders who continue to use the practice of mating close relatives, by refusing to register those puppies that are born from any mother/son, father/daughter or brother/sister mating. Departures from this principle will only be made in exceptional circumstances or for scientifically proven welfare reasons. The Kennel Club has also encouraged and supported, for many years, out-crossing in breeds, where a sensible proposal has been put forward to us. It is now imperative that the Kennel Club continues to lead research into the genetic diversity of breeds – but on a breed by breed basis, rather than introducing any further blanket bans. These could be counterproductive in some breeds and detrimental to the future welfare of the breeds concerned.

•        Kennel Club Charitable Trust and the Canine Genetics Centre – In March 2009, the Kennel Club created a Canine Genetics Centre with the Animal Health Trust, which will accelerate research into inherited canine disease. Over the next five years, the Centre aims to investigate 25 inherited diseases. It will develop, where possible, screening tests to determine affected and carrier dogs, that can be performed with simple mouth swabs.

The Kennel Club Charitable Trust continues to invest in research that will help us to understand and treat dog diseases more effectively and into dog welfare projects. In June it earmarked £52,228, to give to the Animal Health Trust for research into breeding strategies that will help to reduce inherited diseases in pedigree dogs.

Additionally, the Kennel Club allocated £500,000 in November 2008 for research projects that will help to improve the health of pedigree dogs, over the next two years. Preference is being given to those projects that address conditions that are painful or which shorten a dog’s lifespan.

•        Independent Review into the registration, breeding and showing of all dogs – In February 2009, the Kennel Club and Dogs Trust set up and funded an Independent Review, which is still ongoing, because the priority of both organisations is to promote and support the care, welfare and breeding of healthy dogs.

•        Research – In 2004, the Kennel Club worked with the British Small Animal Veterinary Association and the Animal Health Trust on the Purebred Dog Health Survey, the largest of its kind in the world. The results showed that the vast majority of pedigree dogs will not suffer from conditions that are detrimental to their quality of life. Research such as this has also enabled the Kennel Club to identify those problems that do exist, so that preventative tests and treatments can be developed in the future.

The Kennel Club has also provided data for a joint project into breeding co-efficients with the Imperial College, London (whose findings were cited in the documentary). This was conducted so that we can measure and record levels of genetic diversity within breeds and ensure breeders take appropriate action where problems do exist as a result of a limited gene pool.

The Kennel Club Charitable Trust funds research into breed specific diseases. This has included a grant to the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club, which has been distributed to the Royal Veterinary College and the University of Cambridge, to fund research into syringomyelia. This is a disease which the CKCS Club identified as being of concern for the breed some five years ago, and for which no one is yet sure of the mode of inheritance or the extent of the problem.

•        Health tests – The Kennel Club runs health testing schemes, in conjunction with the British Veterinary Association, for hip and elbow dysplasia and eye diseases. The Kennel Club publishes the results of these tests quarterly and over the past 10 years breeders have spent over £20 million on hip scoring alone. The result has been to significantly improve the hip quality of 19 of the 20 most commonly tested breeds, with the other, which already had the best average score of all, remaining stable.

The Kennel Club is working towards the elimination of dog diseases through DNA tests, which have been developed thanks to advances in science and the work and support of the Kennel Club and its Charitable Trust. One example of how this has helped is in the elimination of canine leucocyte adhesion deficiency (CLAD) in Irish Setters that caused early death in puppies and which was eradicated through the concerted efforts of both the Kennel Club and Irish Setter breeders.

•        Training of judges – At Crufts 2009, the Kennel Club continued its ongoing programme of education of judges and held seminars specifically to educate judges about the revised breed standards. The Kennel Club treats the training of judges with the utmost seriousness because it is the judges who will ensure that only healthy dogs are rewarded in the show ring. The Kennel Club judges’ seminars reiterate the importance of using the show ring in a positive way to reward and encourage the breeding of healthy dogs, and at the same time to gather the views of senior judges in support of this.

•        Dog shows – Crufts is the Kennel Club’s most well known dog show. It is a unique celebration of healthy, happy dogs and of the loving relationship that they enjoy with their owners. It recognises the varied roles that dogs play in society and highlights the many different disciplines and activities in which dogs are involved. Health is at the heart of Crufts with a new Health Stand at Crufts 2009, where experts from the Animal Health Trust and those involved in the Kennel Club/British Veterinary Association Canine Health Schemes talked to dog lovers about the health initiatives and a range of dog health topics.

There was also, as always, a Discover Dogs area and an Accredited Breeder Scheme stand, where potential dog owners were informed about how to make responsible dog buying decisions; ensuring that their dog has the best possible start in life and that they choose a dog that suits their lifestyle. Dog shows encourage and reward good breeding practice and the Kennel Club has put in place comprehensive measures to ensure that only healthy dogs are rewarded in the show ring. Furthermore, Crufts 2009 raised £135,000 for the Kennel Club Charitable Trust, whose investments are vital for securing the future health of our breeds.

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