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Pressure
group pushes for registration
A
PRESSURE group with the ear of the Government is pushing for
the compulsory registration of dogs within the next three years,
but has, according to the Kennel Club, misinterpreted the scope
of a Government proposal of dog registration outlined two years
ago.
The launch of the Companion Animal Welfare Council (CAWC) report
on the Identification and Registration of Companion Animals
was opened by DEFRA Minister Elliot Morley who took the opportunity
to repeat the DEFRA statement regarding the proposed Animal
Welfare Bill. The statement referred heavily to the issue of
docking of dogs' tails.
CAWC then presented the findings of the Identification and Registration
of Companion Animals report. Bearing in mind that CAWC is tasked
with considering all animals - not only dogs - there were parts
of the report which are not relevant to the canine world.
However in a statement, issued last week, the Kennel Club was
concerned to note that within the CAWC recommendations the DIG
(Dog Identification Group) report, of which the Kennel Club
was secretariat, is mentioned. The DIG report – published
in 2000 - recommended a five year period of voluntary identification
to be monitored and targeted to achieve an 80% uptake by the
end of that period. The CAWC report states that two years of
the five-year trial term have already been completed, which
is incorrect. To date, the DIG report has not been taken up
by Government. CAWC has recommended that compulsory permanent
identification and registration of all dogs should commence
in 3 years’ time, which is clearly at odds with the Kennel
Club view that the DIG trial has not begun. An essential part
of the DIG recommendations was that significant funding would
be required to promote identification, but no funding from Government
has been identified. The Kennel Club continues to recommend
permanent identification on a voluntary basis.
The discrepancy has been referred to DEFRA, and the KC is looking
to liaise with CAWC on this point.
Despite strenuous attempts by OUR DOGS to make contact with
CAWC – who have recently moved their HQ from London to
Essex – and thus garner a comment, no statement from CAWC
was forthcoming at the time of going to press.
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