I've had a bitch come in for mating and to be honest I'm horrified at the condition she's in. Besides being filthy rotten dirty, I can see every rib, as she's not got an ounce of fat on her. She's not quite skeletal, but she's not far off it. This bitch came here last year for mating and although at the time she was on the slim side it was acceptable. The mating failed to produce puppies and they've brought her back for her free return mating. This time however her condition is not acceptible and there's no way I'm even going to contemplate mating her. So my quandry is do I just hand her back to the owners, voicing my concern over the condition of the bitch and hope that they take heed, take her home and feed her up, and trust them not take her to someone else for mating who won't care about the condition she's in, or do I call the RSPCA.

I'd report her condition. 

absolutely call rspca and keep checking with them that they have done something about it.

Could you not take her to your own vet, and see what they advise? You might actually get something done about it then.

Why not contact your breed club as presumably the owner of the bitch belongs to it. Sometimes this is more effective than other routes.
Louise

I would tell them that in that condition she won't conceive and that they had best wait another season and get her in fit condition for breeding otherwise they are wasting their 'free return'. 

Appealing to their pockets in this way may have more effect.  Also may stop them trying to get her mated elsewhere if you can convince them it will be pointless on this season.

If it's likely that welfare is being compromised through bad care (you do get the odd dog that just won't eat, or has an underlying issue affecting nutrient absorption that hasn't been diagnosed), the I would additionally make a report to RSPCA, as they do keep reports confidential.

I'd also advise the KC incase they do elsewhere, it might raise a question if any pups are conceived elsewhere and registered.

Could you keep the dog with you for longer and see if she weights up any, make some excuse.  That way she will have passed her fertile period keeping her safe.

Sorry to be on the negative side but do you really think the RSPCA would care !, i would appeal to the ownres but cant see what the rspca would do.

Maybe Dogstrust would be a better option?

If that's how they look after the bitch, how would they look after her litter of puppies and raise them?  What are their motivations for breeding, then?

Just wondering - did you not see the state of the bitch before they left her, and if so, why have they left her with you?  (Why didn't you send her back there and then?)

I agree i would of told them to get on their bikes

Don't think the RSPCA would do anything.
Do you not check the bitches that come to you for mating in anyway.? Surely BH's have enough concerns to warrant hereditary background and health checks? Poor bitch I imagine she will be taken somewhere else

> Do you not check the bitches that come to you for mating in anyway.?

The bitch is coming back for a return mating so poster probably relied on the checks from before, when ehr condition was acceptable.

There is also the 'stud contract' as free return was a part of this, so not that easy.  Returnign teh fee is an option fo course but contractually still a bit sticky and might not prevent the owner going elsewhere.

If the owners can show the RSPCA the bitch has access to water they won't do anything. I would probably be trying to be friendly to the owners and as others have said say that the bitch is too under weight to conceive, I would also ask if they were aware just how much she is under weight and ask if they have had her checked for any illness. Point out to them that not only will an underweight bitch be unlikely to conceive but if by some remote chance she did they could lose the entire litter and bitch at whelping time. (Basically make them stop and think with a few scare tactics).

I have come across underweight dogs when judging and the owners have said to me that they cannot understand why I did not think their dog was fit. I always explain that the difference between hard fit condition and thin and underweight is lack of muscle and substance. So maybe they have been advised to keep the bitch on the lean and fit side and are mistaking this for being thin and underweight.

Obviously something has gone wrong with this bitch, perhaps because they live with her they do not notice just how thin this bitch has become? Have you got a correct weight bitch to show them? Maybe they need help to get the best from their bitch and any pups she might have in the future.