Kennel Club updates Assured Breeder Scheme
Regular review and update of the Assured Breeder Scheme helps to encourage good breeding practices.
A series of updates designed to further improve the health of dogs and responsible breeding has been announced by The Kennel Club.
The announement follows a review of the range of breed-specific health testing and screening requirements under the Assured Breeder Scheme (ABS) with breed clubs and councils. Agreed by the Kennel Club Dog Health Group, the updates aim to keep dog health and welfare at the forefront of the scheme.
Among the list of breed-specific updates include the removal of BAER testing (deafness) as a requirement for the English toy terrier and the recommendation for Dobermanns to be eye tested. The list of updates also includes the requirement for elbow grading for the Hungarian Vizsla and the recommendation of heart testing for the whippet.
The ABS is reviewed twice a year to ensure it remains relevant and of maximum health benefit to all dogs bred by Kennel Club Assured Breeders. While the updates come into immediate effect, existing Assured Breeders have a grace period of six months to allow them to take account of any existing breeding plans.
Commenting on the changes, Bill Lambert, welfare and breeder services executive at the Kennel Club, said: “Regular review and update of the Assured Breeder Scheme recommendations and requirements ensure we maintain maximum progress for dog health improvements and encourage good breeding practices, which will in turn help to protect the future of the UK's pedigree dogs and ensure that puppy buyers can be easily signposted to breeders who do all they can to produce healthy pups.
“The current high demand for puppies simply serves to reinforce the importance of puppy seekers doing their research before making a purchase. The ABS offers these people a way to source breeders who have agreed to follow a number of requirements including health testing.”
A full list of updates to the Assured Breeder Scheme is available at bit.ly/37jOkC2
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