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Kennel
Club Health Foundation Fund –
‘Primed and ready for action!’
A major advancement to a project that will open up unprecedented
opportunities for improving the health and welfare of pedigree
dogs has been announced today by The Kennel Club.
The Kennel Club’s Health Foundation Fund (KCHFF), part
of the Charitable Trust, has been given substantial support
from Masterfoods – the makers of Pedigree® dog food.
The KCHFF will fund the development of DNA tests to help breeders
avoid genetic diseases to which certain breeds may be prone.
Funding from the KCHFF will allow breed clubs, in collaboration
with independent and respected research institutions, to facilitate
the mapping of mutant genes that cause the inherited conditions
to which certain breeds of pedigree dogs are predisposed. This
will be followed by the development of tests to determine the
presence or absence of these mutations. The research will provide
breeders with tools to identify and avoid breeding from dogs
with a particular defective gene, thus preventing avoidable
health and welfare problems.
Dr Jeff Sampson, The Kennel Club’s Genetics Co-ordinator
said: "The Kennel Club is very excited at this development
which has huge potential benefits for improving the health and
welfare of pedigree dogs. We are grateful to Masterfoods for
their generous support."
Masterfoods spokesman Michael Jenkins commented: "This
initiative heralds a new era for canine healthcare and we are
very pleased to be so closely involved in a project which will
improve the health and well-being of dogs.
The KCHFF expects to fund several projects each year, each of
which will require a contribution from the breed societies involved.
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