A MASSIVE change in the way that dogs are bought and sold in the UK is a suggestion that
could be put forward when the long awaited Bateson Inquiry is published next week.

In what seems to have been a leak to the media concerning the Inquiry, it seems that plans for a compulsory registration scheme for breeders (of pedigrees or crosses) has emerged in the report by Professor Sir Patrick Bateson, a leading zoologist, which aims to stamp out controversial breeding practices in which puppies are born with disease and deformities.

The report, which appeared in The Times, suggested that only breeders with a registered number
and who are subject to checks on their animals and premises would be
allowed to sell or advertise the sale of puppies.

If true, Professor Bateson’s recommendations, commissioned by the Kennel Club and the
Dogs’ Trust, is certain to cause among many dog breeders, however, according to reports, he
believes that change is now inevitable.

In future it is envisaged that all puppies would be sold with a veterinary certificate guaranteeing their health, and stating the name of their parents as well as the registered number of the breeder.All dogs would be microchipped and breeders would be subject to
random inspections.

The Kennel Club’s banning of the mating of parent dogs with offspring and siblings should,
claims the report, also be extended to grandparent and half-sibling dogs.

Professor Bateson said that in future he expected registration to be restricted to accredited breeders who follow tough health and welfare rules.

Regulation

In echoes of the APGAW report, Bateson is said to favour a new statutory body to oversee
all breeding practices, rather than leaving decisions solely to the KC. “I think regulation is the
only way to do it. The public need to insist they know the pedigree of a
dog and that it has been properly looked after, and only go to accredited
breeders,” he is reported to have said.

The proposals are already in force in France. The KC declined to comment on the matter,
and insisted the leaks were ‘pure speculation’ at this point.

David Cavill, who took part in the Inquiry, told OUR DOGS: ‘The long awaited Bateson report
commissioned by the Kennel Club and Dogs Trust was due to be launched in London at the
National Liberal Club next Thursday 14th January but the main recommendations have been
leaked to The Times which carried a summary on 4th January.

‘Professor Sir Patrick Bateson, a leading zoologist is suggesting that controversial breeding practices are only likely to be eliminated if all breeders are registered and are
subjected to checks on their animals and premises.

The report also says that puppies should only be sold if they are accompanied
by a veterinary certificate guaranteeing their health.

‘One of the main concerns of the report is the inbreeding of dogs and Professor Bateson
believes that the Kennel Club's ban on the mating of parent dogs between offspring and siblings
should be extended to grandparents and half-sibling dogs. He also recommends that in the future, the registration of pedigree dogs should be restricted to accredited
breeders who follow tough health and welfare rules and favours a newstatutory body to oversee
all breeding practices as he believes that the Kennel Club's role as
'judge and jury' is questionable.

Questions

‘Our Dogs has not yet had a chance to see the full report but many immediate questions
arise.

‘I believe that it is unlikely that veterinary surgeons would be prepared to, in effect, 'guarantee'
the health status of a puppy and although responsible breeders are already signed up the the
KC's Accredited Breeder Scheme, the result of such legislation would be an expanding market in 'designer dogs' specifically bred to get around any legal requirements
imposed by the government, the Kennel Club or, for that matter, any independent
statutory body, the composition of which would be likely to include
many who were prejudiced against pedigree dogs.

‘As we have stated many times: the UK does not need more laws or regulations. If those laws already in place were implemented many of the current problems, arising from the farming of puppies, would quickly disappear.

This would leave the Kennel Club to get on with the job of improving the health and welfare of
those breeds which need attention. At first sight, the Bateson report appears to be the usual
regulatory sledge hammer designed to crack what is little more than a nut.

‘There are some excellent comments on The Times web site almost all of which support the basic
problems we have identified here. It makes a nice change to feel that those contributing to the debate from outside the world of dogs seem to be largely on our side.’

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