New law on accredited breeders?

Anwen has, as ever, said it all. I'd just like to add that yes, the KC can only 'recommend'. Although it does have teeth in that if an exhibitor contravenes show rules, abuses, is rude to a judge/another exhibitor they can ban that person from the (dubious?) benefits of the Kennel Club (ie showing, registering puppies etc.) it doesn't have power to force anything on breeders, yet! I have very mixed feelings about the ABS myself, but as I'm retired from breeding, showing and judging now, I'm relieved that this isn't something I have to decide about! I would just say that we went to see a litter and sat listening to the breeder telling somebody over the phone that they were ABs when I knew for a fact that they were not! When anything (laws) are brought in that cannot be policed, it makes a nonsense of said law - and membership of the ABS is no different. I reported what I'd heard to the KC, but they said unless I could 'prove' this, they could do nothing. Unfortunately I wasn't taping the conversation!!!

Unfortunately some people are using this Scheme as an advertising ploy, and this is wrong.

Your question - I'd say no because you are not producing litters yourself?

With apologies for the rant.

There is no law yet, so the Kennel Club couldn't enforce it even if it had legal powers - which it doesn't. The KC is trying to get government backing for responsible breeding by using the principles set out in its Accredited Breeder Scheme. It isn't trying to get every breeder to join - how could it? Many breeders don't have KC registered dogs.

If you only have a male dog, you're not a breeder so you will only be affected in that no responsible breeder will use your dog unless it complies to breed requirements like clear health tests, good temperament etc.

http://www.gopetition.co.uk/online/24731.html

Sunflower - whatever do you mean?

"bit of paper which gives people no real information about the way a dog has been bred, like the registration certificates they issue at present"

The registration certificate shows the name of the sire & dam - that enables you to trace the dog's ancestry & you can also obtain a 3 or 5 generation pedigree from the KC. It also shows the health tests the dog has had. The rest is up to the intelligent buyer to check surely?

Interesting question - why not contact the Kennel Club and when you know the answer, post and let us know? I certainly think stud dog owners should be registered - why should anyone mind doing this, if their dog was of breeding standard and was being used ethically? I only hope whatever the Kennel Club is planning will have some teeth and not just be a way of buying a bit of paper which gives people no real information about the way a dog has been bred, like the registration certificates they issue at present.

(edit) Anwen 55, what I meant was that the Kennel Club at present has no programme of inspecting and certifying good breeders who comply with ethical standards. You and I would undoubtedly know what to look for in a pedigree, and how to check out a breeder, and would be very careful who we got a dog from, but many people are not so informed about what to look for, and can and do finish up with puppies who have been bred in poor conditions mainly or entirely for profit, even if they do have a KC registration. There are thousands of poor quality dogs ( from the breeding point of view) who have a pedigree, and peop,e are impressed by this even if it's worthless as an indication of the quality of the dog or the home it has been bred in.