What should be done
Focusing my mind on what I think should be done to improve the health of pedigree dogs, I came up with the following list of measures that I would like to see implemented.
What the government needs to do
- Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, secondary legislation, provide protection for dogs from the suffering and premature death which is the result of inherited diseases and traits.
- Incorporate the EU principle: 'No one should breed companion animals without careful regard to characteristics (anatomical, physiological and behavioural) that may put at risk the health and welfare of the offspring or female parent)' . Sign the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals.
- Authorise and fund an independent welfare organization, such as the Companion Animal Welfare Council (CAWC), to monitor the work of the Kennel Club and breed clubs.
- Law requiring permanent identification of dogs (PI)
- Law requiring veterinary profession to provide data on breed specific diseases (eg, Paul McGreevy's Scheme)
- Include normal consumer protection: if a puppy later develops a recognized genetic disease, and if it is proved that recommended health screening had not been carried out, pet owners should be refunded the full cost of the puppy by the breeder (perhaps an upper age limit should be included).
What the Kennel Club needs to do
- Make Kennel Club registration a mark of quality by only registering litters from dogs which have been health screened or DNA tested and found to be clear of breed specific hereditary disease. (This must include all schemes - not just the BVA/KC and other 'official' schemes)
- Scrap the seriously flawed Accredited Breeders Scheme which even if reformed would still create a two tier system and leave the vast majority of pedigree dogs unprotected (see Notes).
- Actively help to facilitate a long term project to collect DNA from all dog breeds to facilitate future DNA tests (as in Finland)
- Require breed specific Certificate of Health for entry to dog shows and for breeding (see Notes)
- Limit the use of stud dogs to no more than 12 litters (number would depend on existing genetic diversity and would therefore need to be breed specific)
- Create an on-line facility for breeders to calculate Coefficients of Inbreeding (COI). Encourage a lowering of COI in all breeds to ideally below 6% based on a ten generation pedigree. COIs to be recorded on pedigree certificates against the breed average.
- Where Estimated Breeding Values (EBV) or Genetic Breeding Values (GeBV) are available, record these on pedigree certificates
- Ban the mating of close relatives, such as mother to son, brother to sister, and any other mating whose offspring would have COI > 20%
- Allow outcrossing to a related breed to reinvigorate the gene pool if the Effective Population Size falls below 50, or where the incidence of a particular condition is high
- Require health testing certificates to be included in the documentation given to puppy buyers
- Require breed clubs to be open and transparent. Ordinary members of breed clubs should be entitled to see the Agenda and Minutes of Committee Meetings
- Require breed club committees to have at least one member to represent the interests of pet owners.
- Provide a publicly accessible online resource for all registered dogs, linked to pedigree, where owners can enter health records, including date of death.
- Provide compulsory training for judges where the priority is on health and soundness, and avoiding exaggerated traits.
Notes
A tiered registration system might be an alternative which would include an improved Accredited Breeder Scheme.
Vets to issue the 'fit for breeding' certificate based on DNA submitted, COI and health testing.
'Fit for breeding' certificates should also be issued by professionally qualified breed wardens from within each breed who would assess temperament and physical qualities.
Carol Fowler
December 2008