14-01-2010 Review of pedigree dog practices calls for changes

A new inquiry into problems around pedigree dogs, led by Cambridge University professor Sir Patrick Bateson, has called for changes in breeding practice and legislation. The report was commissioned by the Kennel Club and Dogs Trust in response to last year’s documentary on BBC demonstrating serious animal welfare and health problems in a range of pedigree dogs.

Animals Count welcomes the report, and particularly the recommendations, some of which are policy ideas that Animals Count also proposes. In addition, Animals Count has the following specific policies:

• With regard to the breeding and use of dogs as ‘weapons’ or status symbols, Animals Count believes that a wider social approach is required to address such antisocial behaviour, including making humane education courses part of the solution. We also seek a compulsory identification and registration scheme, tougher penalties for animal abuse and strict enforcement, and more local council animal welfare officers on the street. Breeders need to be regulated too. Human and animal agencies need to collaborate to tackle these issues.

• With regard to the Dangerous Dog Act, Animals Count believes that the specific breeds mentioned are arbitrary. Whilst it may be true that the breeds listed are more frequently owned by people more likely to engage in unacceptable social behaviour – leading to safety risks to other animals and the public, other dog breeds may bite as well. Rottweilers, for example, may be high up in the bite index. In fact, any breed can be selectively bred to become more aggressive. A breed-specific ban is undesirable. However, compulsory individual aggressive dog behaviour tests, and a ban on breeding dogs that do not meet certain criteria (e.g. dogs that fail behaviour tests), are likely to be more effective.

• Compulsory registration and a licensing system would need to be in place. Veterinarians encounter deficiencies in basic, responsible pet care on a daily basis. To help encourage responsible pet care, a companion animal licensing system should be established. Mandatory requirements would include increasing the minimum age of licence-holders, and the successful completion of a responsible animal care certificate, appropriate to the species in question. Annual maintenance of the licence would require mandatory neutering of all companion animals by sexual maturity or earlier, other than in very special circumstances; compliance with basic preventative healthcare measures such as vaccination and parasite control; annual veterinary checkups; mandatory identification and registration, through both externally-visible identification and microchipping. Maintenance of companion animal insurance designed to fund unexpected medical or surgical expenses should be encouraged. Limitations would be imposed on numbers of animals that may be kept at each address, related to type of housing.

• Animals Count agrees with the report’s conclusions on puppy farming. ‘Puppy farms’ are establishments where bitches are continuously bred, which often impairs their health. Living conditions and preventative healthcare standards are often poor. Animals Count would seek to:

1. Introduce an effective and humane stray animal management action plan.
2. Ensure that local authorities are fully equipped to house and adequately care for abandoned animals. Each area should have at least one Animal Protection Officer with expertise in animal welfare and powers of seizure, who can investigate complaints, and enforce the licensing system.
3. Regulate breeders and breeding facilities.
4. Ban the sale of puppies and kittens in shops of any kind in order to avoid impulsive purchasing decisions.
5. Strengthen the Animal Welfare Act, improve Border control (on animals traded into the UK), carry out spot checks, and increase penalties for offenders.

• Animals Count also supports the report’s views on restricting the breeding of dogs with particular features and specifically proposes that the breeding of companion animals to meet breed standards, or for other purposes, that result in hereditary anatomical, physiological or other impairments likely to be contrary to good welfare, must always be prohibited. Whilst pet overpopulation and mass euthanasia of companion animals continues, all breeding, and establishments in which breeding occurs, must be independently inspected and tightly regulated.

Animals Count seeks and welcomes expert opinions from a wide range of disciplines, including veterinarians, animal welfare scientists, canine experts, policy-makers and other stakeholders that put animal welfare interests first, ahead of commercial or economic gain.

• The provision of a basic animal health care system comparable to the NHS should be established. The system would seek to utilise existing private veterinary clinics and hospitals, and charities, by providing government funding to extend the provision of basic healthcare and emergency services. Rescue centres, rehabilitation and re-homing facilities for domestic and wild animals would also receive subsidies.

• To millions of households, companion animals matter. Some people, for example elderly people, may have reduced social networks, and their companion animal is extremely important to them. Yet sadly, many social housing corporations and care homes do not allow companion animals. This should change.

• There is evidence of a link between domestic violence and cruelty to animals, which needs to be addressed effectively by all relevant stakeholders (animal protection, social and child care, police, prosecution, etc.).

• Legislation and regulations against animal neglect and abuse should be strengthened, through a range of measures, including:
  • increased powers of inspection and seizure for police and licensed inspectors,
  • mandatory completion by offenders of a responsible animal care certificate (see above) appropriate to the species in question, regardless of any prior certification,
  • increased penalties for offenders.

• Resources for the implementation and enforcement of such legislation and regulations against animal neglect and abuse should be increased.

• Organisations and animal shelters that conduct inspections, animal seizures, provide shelters for animals, or prosecute animal abusers, should receive adequate government funding. Statutory regulation of animal sanctuaries should be introduced.

• Establishments selling animals should be subjected to mandatory regulation in accordance with best practice principles, including with respect to stocking densities, health and husbandry standards, independent, unannounced inspections, and a range of penalties that could include revocation of licences, fines and custodial sentences, where violations are apparent.

Andrew Knight, BSc., BVMS, CertAW, MRCVS, FOCAE

Spokesperson, Animals Count

January 2010