The General Committee of The Kennel Club has been carefully considering the subject of hernias and the granting of permission to show dogs which have undergone surgery to repair such conditions. After due consideration, it has been agreed that there is now much new information with wide ranging implications still to be considered in relation to the issues of both umbilical and inguinal hernias. The Committee proposes to examine these issues further and take advice as appropriate.

In the meantime, the Committee has directed that temporary permission to show be given until such time as these issues are resolved and this temporary permission is given without prejudice to any future decision of the Committee in this connection.

Temporary permission has been granted to four dogs which have undergone hernia repairs. The owners have been written to individually and if the dogs are shown, the letter concerned must be presented to the ring steward on each occasion on which the dog is exhibited under any judge. In turn, the ring steward, without making the judge aware of the dog's registered name, will be required to inform the judge that the dog concerned has undergone an operation to repair a hernia.

ENDS 23 October 2001

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