UK Kennel Club hits back at BBC Dog Documentary. - Page 1

www.doggenetichealth.org/response.php

Statement about the forthcoming BBC programme ‘Pedigree Dogs Exposed’ – BBC1, Tuesday 19th August, 9pm

For more than two years now the Kennel Club and others have been co-operating with a TV production company called Passionate Productions who have been making a film on the subject of canine health. We agreed to take part entirely on the basis of that company’s written assurance that the programme’s ultimate message was “intended to be a hopeful one, showing how science and breeders can combine to preserve our purebreds for the future.”  That message fits precisely with the view of the Kennel Club, and so we set about giving information and interviews to the production company, and encouraging others to do so as well.

Sadly we soon discovered that the members of the production company seemed to have pre-conceived and extremely biased views on the subject.  Alarm bells rang when we found out the biased nature of many of the questions being posed both to ourselves and to others. The vast majority covered negative issues – few if any were about the positive aspects of purebred dogs.

We now know that the BBC, which has bought the programme, will show it on BBC1 at 9pm on Tuesday 19th August.  From the beginning the Kennel Club has worked consistently to explain our point of view on canine health both to the production company and latterly to the BBC, describing the vast amount of time, effort and money the majority of breeders put into breeding healthy dogs. We have also ensured that other interested parties have made the same point to the BBC. In so doing we have of course acknowledged that there are problems in some breeds, many of which originally stem back to the Victorian era, but we have stressed that we are today in the forefront of using science to address these issues.

We have also explained the work done to eliminate from breed standards any exaggerations which might cause problems. We have described the work going on to ensure that show judges pay particular attention to issues which could be detrimental to the health or welfare of dogs. We have outlined the many DNA and other health screening programmes which exist, and have given details of the Accredited Breeders Scheme and our latest “Fit for function: fit for life” campaign.

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Finally, we have been at pains to remind the BBC of the requirements in its Charter to be rigorously impartial and balanced in its reporting.

Despite all of this we still fear that, when broadcast, this programme may omit much of the positive information supplied, with the result that it will be damaging to the reputation of pedigree dogs, dog breeders and the Kennel Club. We hope that, in the process, it will not end up damaging the very dogs which, throughout, the programme makers have claimed they are so anxious to help.

This is of course looking at the worst case outcome.  It may be that our efforts have been understood and borne in mind as the programme has been put together and that we have done enough to balance the content and tone.   Whatever the eventual result you can be assured that the Kennel Club will go on working for the benefit of pedigree dogs and that we will continue to communicate the many positive messages which are there to be told.

Ronnie Irving
Chairman
August 8, 2008.

Kennel Club hits back at BBC Dog Documentary

The Kennel Club feels that the programme, Pedigree Dogs Exposed (BBC1 19 August) missed a real opportunity to progress the cause of dog health. It appeared to have a very specific agenda repeating prejudices, providing no context for the debate, and failing to put forward any constructive proposals. It left viewers with the mistaken impression that all pedigree dogs are riddled with a wide range of health problems and that the dog community is doing little or nothing to improve the situation. This is patently not true.

The Kennel Club was shocked and saddened by the dramatic imagery used in the programme, and accepts some of the important issues raised. What it does not accept is that these problems apply widely across the 200 plus breeds in the UK. Pedigree Dogs Exposed also failed to show the real progress being made by both the Kennel Club and responsible breeders in improving dog health or to recognise that 90 percent of pedigree dogs will not suffer from health problems that have a detrimental impact on the quality of life.

More than that, the programme drew upon a new study on dog genetics by Imperial College to underline its criticisms of dog breeding, without acknowledging the fact this study was entirely enabled by the Kennel Club as part of its commitment to health research. This research will now provide the Kennel Club with a valuable scientific platform to enlist the support of breeders in tackling key health problems where they occur. CONTINUED

Read FULL text here: http://www.doggenetichealth.org/response.php

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We are cautious of becoming overly prescriptive in what we expect so we do not drive people away from the KC registration system. It would be naïve to expect that this would stop breeders from breeding, but it could significantly reduce the impact of the KC’s message, by drastically reducing the numbers of breeders with which we have contact, which would be of little benefit to breeds generally.

Who was this letter originalIy addressed to! or is this a convienient reply after such a devistating report by the BBC. I'm sick of hearing the same comments from the K.C. about how they have to encourage breeders to do the right thing when breeding litters. The K.C. is a private club and they can insist people who use it follow the rules they put down. I accept they can't force breeders to stop breeding, but they can stop breeders registering thier puppies with the K.C. unless they have followed all the screening tests for all the individual breeds, like, hips, eye problems, blood, and many more. The fact that Ronnie Irving states in his letter, "some of these problems go back to Victorian times", that tells me the general breeding public wont do nothing to help the situation. Most breeders of show stock rely on joe public to buy thier surplus puppies and they want a K.C. registered puppy. So let the K.C. implement the controls needed, breed by breed, that are needed to stop the genetic problems getting worse, and start the road to recovery. Many people in all different breeds believe the K.C. wont act because they are concerned about the loss of revenue! K.C. GET OFF YOUR BACK LEGS AND PROVE THEM WRONG!!!

The KEY to the future health of Pedigree Dogs in the UK is for the Kennel Club to create a "differentiation" between Kennel Club registered puppies and Back Yard Breeders (BYB) puppies. The very simple way to achieve this is to introduce "compulsory" health screening of ALL pedigree dogs, which will form the basis of a "Kennel Club breeding certificate". When BYB's cannot sell, or have difficulty selling their puppies, their numbers will reduce dramatically. The public are much more knowledgeable about the "health issues" affecting dogs, especially with the "internet" information available. High level publicity regarding a "Kennel Club breeding certificate" would inform and educate the public and improve the future health prospects of pedigree dogs. The Kennel Club should "bite the bullet" and STOP protecting BYB's and breeders in some breeds that "ignore serious health issues", whilst at the same time "creating distractions away from their own breeds problems" by harping on about the GSD and "outside attraction". This must stop. The KC should fully support the GSD in the UK, a breed which is at the forefront of health screening. The Kennel Club should vigorously tackle the health issues of pedigree dogs by introducing a "Kennel Club breeding certificate" for all breeds, without which any resultant puppies cannot be KC Registered.

Anything on television today has to be playing with the emotions of the viewers and has to be a soap opera vene if its a news channel.

Screw the media

With all the recent turmoil over the BBC documentary, and the U.K. KENNEL CLUB, trying to defend it's actions, this is the best chance the Breed Council has had in years to demand a meeting with the K.C. to disscuss the genetic problems in our breed, like the BVA hip scoreing, Haemophilia, DNA, Elbow scoreing,and anything else that is relevant. To get the K.C. to implement compulsory health screening programmes, and only allow K.C. registrations from dogs that have gone through such programmes. The Breed council should put the German Shepherd Dog forward as a single breed and agree with the K.C. our breed can be used as an experiment for a period of time. I'm confidant the Breed council and the K.C. could demonstrate to the rest of the breeds there is nothing to fear from helping to eradicate problems that we are all guilty of perpetuating. So lets get all the breed clubs to lobby the Breed Coucil to make this happen. WE MAY NEVER GET ANOTHER OPORTUNITY LIKE THIS AGAIN. Get of your back legs and make it happen.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Two years ago a puppy farm opened up about 20 miles from us.It has now been closed down but it amazes me how many of these young dogs we have coming to board at our kennels.

Most of the owners had major problems with the dogs with illness when they first had them ,they all cost in the region of £400-£500 and not one is Kc Reg but the owners belive they are full pedigree as they have a pedigree (which isnt worth the paper its written on).

These puppies were brought from Wales or Ireland sold to the kennel at 6 weeks of age and then sold to the public and advertised in the paper all major credit cards taken.The dogs are not good examples of there breeds and most are very small,fine bone,nervous.

These dogs are very lucky that they have loving homes ,but these people have been conned and the kennels never wanted to know about any of the problems.

One of the owners told me they went around the kennels on a sunday and it was so busy they had to wait an hour to be able to purchase their puppy.

It was the locla vets that complained about the kennels as they had lots of puppies from there coming in with all sorts and not been able to save them,which is heartbreaking for the new owners.

These people could have gone to a reputable breeder,been given lots of advice,pedigree that is real and 99% of the time a puppy that has been bred to limit any illness,etc etc.

So the general public  do still go to these places as its a day out,they have lots of different puppies to look at and cant say no.The kennel club dont do much to help reputable breeders,BUT they seem to do less to stop puppy farms or back yard breesders with no knowledge or interest.

P.s i didnt see the program so if any one taped it.......................................