So what do you all think we should tell them?????

APGAW Announces New Working Group on Dog Welfare
PRESS RELEASE

11th November 2008

Parliamentary Working Group to Investigate Dog Welfare

The Associate Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare is forming a working group on the welfare of dogs following the controversial BBC documentary shown in August 'Pedigree Dogs Exposed.' The documentary highlighted the serious issues arising from genetic diseases owing to decades of inbreeding which has affected show dogs and domestic pets.

Eric Martlew MP, Chairman of APGAW stated;

"I'm delighted that the Associate Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare has decided to respond positively to the issues raised by the documentary and welfare organisations. It is extremely important that we establish what health and welfare implications there are on dogs bred to certain set standards and then have informed and considered recommendations in place to ensure their future welfare which can be presented in a report to the Secretary of State.

I'm really pleased that this working group is supported by all the APGAW officers, who are cross-party politicians and will have the opportunity to bring their views to the table. I hope that anyone with an interest in this issue will get in contact with the Working Group so that we can hear from as wide a cross-section of society as possible."

The call for written submissions will be in December and there will be a guideline as to how these should be presented. If you have any queries in the meantime please contact Marisa Heath at The Pedigree Dog Working Group, APGAW, C/o Eric Martlew MP, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA or on admin@apgaw.org or 07736 899547

I posted this info HERE two days ago but it appears not to have the depth of impact that IACGMOOH or similarly light hearted topics have .....   Perhaps the ever decreasing circles in which we (responsible breeders, exhibitors, owners and judges) seem to find ourselves has made many already lose interest if not quite yet lose hope.

I'm still working on my response to them but it is not one of support and is in the main pointing out that by far the highest numbers of poorly bred dogs are from puppy farmers .....  But of course the Passionate Productions and the BBC knew that before airing the documentary, the KC know it but seem incompetent at getting their point across, Government, RSPCA, DT, PDSA and everyone else already knows that too but IMO want to be seen to be doing 'something' even if not the right thing.

At this precise moment in time I find the ongoing decline in support from so many animal charities has virtually ensured that whatever is truly best for pedigree dogdom and all it entails will not be handled best or correctly assessed by those genuinely most knowledgable to do so :(

> the KC know it but seem incompetent at getting their point across <

I hear the KC are sending representatives to the Leeds protests. I reckon they do not do themselves credit at times as they do not go in for tabloid publicity like Jemimas programme did.

I think the KC should have taken a professional PR company on a long time ago - had they done so things may have worked out a little differently as I'm sure outside professional advice would have quashed some of the feable attempts to put their points across to an ever more interested and growing general audience.

As it stands the KC (IMO) have come across as all talk - mostly incomprehensible at that :( and rather too quick with knee jerk reactions when faced with real criticism.  Much as I would dearly love to see the Leeds protest and any similar ones having a major impact on this whole sorry situation I don't in my heart believe they will.

> is in the main pointing out that by far the highest numbers of poorly bred dogs are from puppy farmers ....

Actually it is likely that the biggest producers are the casual one off breeders as in the US stats here: http://www.nopuppymillscanada.ca/byb.htm

Possibly in some breeds Barbara but I shouldn't think CKCS, Bichons, Yorkshire Terriers, Labradors, Toy/Miniature Poodles, WHWT, Cockers et al have the numbers they have both in and out of the registration systems due to a higher per centage of 'casual one off breeders'.  These breeds, as is evidenced by weekly adverts in local and national press even more so than the internet, are very much of the "can arrange delivery, Visa/Mastercard accepted" bread and butter breeds of the dedicated puppy farmer IMO.

Add to the usual suspect breeds the new trends for any type of poodle, cocker, beagle, husky, staff, dogue, malamute and shar pei cross and again, not merely the produce of casual breeders at all and certainly not those who will want to restrict their new found easy income to a one-off litter

regards, Teri

I would have thought with puppy milling and the outlets in the USA being so common and yet only account for 2% of the pedigree litters that it is likely to be similar here as we have fewer retail outlets than they do in USA.

Maybe what many of us term puppy farmers are what others call small scale commercial breeders or Hobby Breeders breeding for the Pet Market, where the dogs are not kept in awful conditions but are still exploited purely for sale.

Well we have two places near home which definitely fall under the puppy farming heading to me - the bitches are kept in various forms of kennels, barns and sheds and every breed I mentioned is available all year round.

Additionally, halfway between here and Glasgow, there are two well known PFs of white long haired GSD -  the many bitches are kept in a large barn and 'dad' to all of the many pups produced is chained in the yard to act as a guard when not on stud duties.

The most popular tabloids carry ads for these and similar places all year round too.

Virtually every other dog I meet when out exercising my own owes it's origins to one of the local PFs.

There are not to my knowledge any retail outlets anywhere near me or within a fairly large radius selling pups nor have there been for many years.

IMO the above examples are Puppy Farming - specifically for the pet market and directly advertised and available to the pet buying public.

ETA 'hobby breeders breeding for the pet market' are what I class as Back Yard Breeders

Can we add any further comments to the other thread on this subject please. Thanks ;-)

http://www.champdogsforum.co.uk/board/topic/110527.html