New research has revealed that one in three people buying a puppy did not see the dog with its mother, leading to fears that people are buying from cruel puppy farmers who cut corners by mass producing puppies with no regard for their welfare.
 
Research carried out by the Kennel Club, to coincide with Mother’s Day, has revealed that 35 percent of people did not see their puppy with its mum – a step that responsible breeders will always insist on.

March is one of the busiest months for buying a puppy – in 2011, searches for puppies were 33 percent higher than the rest of the year. Members of the Kennel Club Assured Breeder Scheme, which sets standards for and monitors breeders, requires that people see the puppy with its mother and in its breeding environment.
 
The research also found that one in ten buyers take their puppy home before it is eight weeks old, and that 55 percent do not see the puppy in its breeding environment.
 
Bill Lambert, Manager of the Kennel Club Assured Breeder Scheme, said: “March is the most popular month for searching for a puppy, but we are extremely concerned that so many are not seeing their puppy with its mother. Seeing mum not only helps you to find out how your puppy will be likely to turn out in terms of temperament and characteristics, but it also gives you the reassurance that it has been bred in a loving environment where it has been cared for and socialised properly.”
 
Marc Abraham, TV vet and Kennel Club Veterinary Advisor, said: “Puppies depend on their mums in the early weeks of life, not just for milk but she’s also critical for developing their socialisation skills which help set them up for life. If a breeder refuses to show you the puppy with its mother, then you should go elsewhere.”
 
The Kennel Club is urging people to see puppies with their mother as part of its Stop Puppy Farming campaign and is joining with Marc Abraham to support the ‘Where’s Mum?’ campaign. Kennel Club research has shown that as many as one in four could unwittingly be buying their puppy from a puppy farm.
 
The Kennel Club will be running a National Puppy Awareness Week (PAW) from the 8th – 14th September. To find out more visit www.thekennelclub.org.uk/stoppuppyfarming.
 
ENDS
[090.12]
15th March 2012
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Note to Editors
The Kennel Club’s new STOP Puppy Farming campaign is urging people to:
Spot the signs of an irresponsible breeder
Tell the relevant authorities if you suspect a puppy farmer
Opt for a Kennel Club Assured Breeder or rescue dog
Please, spread the word
 
The Kennel Club takes precautions to help ensure that it does not register puppies from puppy farmers. Those who breed 5 or more litters a year are usually required by their local authority to have the premises inspected in order to receive a breeding licence. The Kennel Club will only accept registrations from these breeders if they can produce this licence except in exceptional circumstances. But the Kennel Club recognises that the licensing system is not perfect and that is why it set up the Kennel Club Assured Breeder Scheme so that it can carry out its own inspections.
 
The Kennel Club Assured Breeder Scheme was established in 2004. Its members agree to follow certain standards for breeding their puppies which includes providing a safe and clean breeding environment, giving the parent dogs the appropriate health tests for their breed, and providing a contract of sale.
 
The Kennel Club
The Kennel Club licenses 38 Group and General Championship Dog Shows throughout the year which enable dogs to qualify for Crufts, which takes place this year from 8th to 11th March.

The Kennel Club is the largest organisation in the UK devoted to dog health, welfare and training. Its objective is to ensure that dogs live healthy, happy lives with responsible owners.
 
It runs the country’s largest registration database for both pedigree and crossbreed dogs and the Petlog database, which is the UK’s largest reunification service for microchipped animals. The Kennel Club Assured Breeder Scheme is the only scheme in the UK that monitors and sets standards for breeders, in order to protect the welfare of puppies and breeding bitches. It also runs the UK’s largest dog training programme, the Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme and licenses shows and clubs across a wide range of activities, which help dog owners to bond and enjoy life with their dogs. The Kennel Club runs the world’s greatest dog show, Crufts, and the Discover Dogs event at Earls Court, London, which is a fun family day out that educates people about how to buy responsibly and care for their dog.
 
The Kennel Club invests in welfare campaigns, dog training and education programmes and the Kennel Club Charitable Trust, which supports research into dog diseases and dog welfare charities, including Kennel Club Breed Rescue organisations that re-home dogs throughout the UK. The Kennel Club jointly runs health screening schemes with the British Veterinary Association and through the Charitable Trust, funds the Kennel Club Genetics Centre at the Animal Health Trust, which is at the forefront of pioneering research into dog health.
 

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