Believe dog breeding must be updated

Veterinary associations have told a committee comprising influential MPs that the Dog Advisory Council should be made into a regulatory body and that legislation on dog breeding must be updated to ensure the future health and welfare of dogs and puppies.

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) and British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) appeared before the House of Commons select committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EfraCom) on Wednesday 24th October as part of the Committee's Inquiry on Dog Control and Dog Welfare.

BVA President Peter Jones said: “The Dog Advisory Council, chaired by veterinary surgeon Professor Sheila Crispin, is doing a huge amount of good work already but at the moment it can only give advice and we believe it should be made into a regulatory body for dog welfare.

“While we recognise the good work that the Kennel Club’s Assured Breeder Scheme is doing, this only affects a very small percentage of the puppies born every year in England. We need to look beyond the KC Scheme and ensure there is a robust registration scheme for all breeders that insists on minimum requirements in order to stamp out unscrupulous breeding practices.

“We know that in Wales and Northern Ireland a lot of work has already been carried out to review and update dog breeding legislation and we now want to see this happening in England.“

BSAVA President Mark Johnston added: “The veterinary profession is doing a lot to highlight dog welfare issues but our frustration is that by the time someone comes in to the veterinary surgery with a new puppy it’s too late to tell the client that they may not have made the best choice.

“Education has an important role to play but this must also be backed up with strong legislation and a Dog Advisory Council that has teeth and resources."

The topics covered at the hearing included:

• The veterinary profession's role in improving dog welfare
• The registration of puppies with the Kennel Club
• Line breeding, out breeding and the coefficient of inbreeding
• Veterinary checks at dog championship shows
• Breed standards; availability of research and data
• The extent of puppy farming
• The sale of puppies on the internet.