Is there a reason why the Kennel Club doesn't keep an online register of affixes that people can view, similar to the Companies House WebCheck service? Or have I missed it?

this is the most recently published kennel names...http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/372
but I think there was a publication you could BUY from the KC with all the Affix's in...not sure though.
Paula x

It would make a lot of sense if they did as it would make the process of applying for an affix a lot easier for both parties. There is a workaround though. You can use the puppy name checker to see if an affix is in use. Just put the affix name in the section for the puppy's name and it will tell you if it's a registered affix.

>this is the most recently published kennel names...

But it only gives recently granted affixes.  I would love to buy a publication listing all affixes, but there certainly wasn't anything for sale when I questioned a girl on the KC stand at Cruft's. 

> But it only gives recently granted affixes.

I would be surprised if they didn't have something available... if only through Freedom of Information or to those who are researching lines & pedigrees.

I know the GCCF (cats) has a very large printout of prefixes and their owners which I once examined free of charge on their stand at a major cat show. As far as I remember it was just names, not addresses, but maybe the Data Protection Act has now become an influence there.

thanks Paula, still would like to be able to log on somewhere and see all of them so I don't have to pick 6 names blindly and hope for the best...

maybe the Data Protection Act has now become an influence there.

I can't see how--it's only the affix that's needed to avoid the needle in haystack routine with picking a name, no personal details required

I know the GCCF (cats) has a very large printout of prefixes and their owners which I once examined free of charge on their stand at a major cat show. As far as I remember it was just names, not addresses, but maybe the Data Protection Act has now become an influence there.

You can view it online these days. But yes, it is just a list of prefixes, nothing else.
http://www.gccfcats.org/pdf/Prefixes.pdf

There was a publication, it was called the "Kennel Names Directory" but I'm not sure if they still sell this.
Paula xxx

> thanks Paula, still would like to be able to log on somewhere and see all of them so I don't have to pick 6 names blindly and hope for the best...

like snoringbear says above though, you can use the puppy name checker to see if an affix is in use, and it's probably quicker than trying to search through a huge directory of names!

Just pick a random breed, put 2 or 3 of your chosen affixes in the 'name' box, and it will automatically tell you if any of them are 'active kennel names'. I did this when I chose mine, dead easy.

Just for future reference, The Freedom of Information Act only applies to government bodies and not private trusts/companies/associations etc. I'm not sure what 'status' the KC has but if it's not a government body it doesn't apply unfortunately.

The K.C. is only a self-appointed governing body. How they get away with imposing fines I shall never understand.

> The K.C. is only a self-appointed governing body. How they get away with imposing fines I shall never understand.

Same with the GCCF - but they do, and it works.

Fines only work because people who are fined still want to participate in KC activities - they can prevent them if they don't pay the fine, it's that simple.

There was a publication, it was called the "Kennel Names Directory" but I'm not sure if they still sell this.

To be honest that would seem a bit pointless to me. They could print it today, and tomorrow it would be out of date when somebody next had a kennel name grated. :)

I know someone who was granted an affix already owned by someone else! This was only flagged up when someone complained after it was published in the gazette. It makes me think the KC's record of affixes can't be up to much!

The Freedom of Information Act only applies to government bodies and not private trusts/companies/associations etc

I don't know about that, Josh--FOIA applies to information held by the public sector but can certainly impact on the private/third sector (e.g. in that they are reminded that tender information may be disclosed/published in the interests of public scrutiny and accountability)

I don't know about that, Josh--FOIA applies to information held by the public sector but can certainly impact on the private/third sector (e.g. in that they are reminded that tender information may be disclosed/published in the interests of public scrutiny and accountability)

In theory, yes but only if that information has been disclosed to a public authority then you could make a request under the FOI act, however in general, private bodies do not have to confirm anything in the name of the FOI act. That is why most companies have strict internal policies on what they can and cannot pass onto a public authority.

Aside from the FOI Act and Data Protection...

Before the Internet I researched my cats' pedigrees and did it back to original imports in the 19th century. A lot of this work was done by firing off random letters to the GCCF addressed to 'Mr/Mrs X, of X prefix' and a covering letter to the GCCF all postage paid, they then forwarded it onto the last known address of X prefix [affix in dogs].

I was surprised by the replies I had - even one from the South African cat registry. Others were closer to home and I got some wonderful letters from ex-breeders only too happy to share their knowledge and pedigrees including photos in many cases.

Pre-internet it was hard work, but very rewarding; unlike a contemporary internet database, I also got many little stories, insights into character, (it was so strange to hear from someone whose cat was 5 gens past from mine, describe little quirks that mine also had!), and it also made it personal: linking those listed names in a pedigree to a real person who had lived with that particular animal - maybe seen it born, maybe owned it mother or father or both; maybe had it from a youngster.... and very often lived with it for 12-18 years.

That reminds me of writing to the owners of the grandparents of my foundation bitch etc, I too got nice letters and photos as well as info on how long they lived.