Breeder laws in Denmark: the perfect world

Many breeders over here in Denmark won't place dogs in homes where crating 8 hrs during the day is the plan and there are many who won't place their dog breed because of the activity level and velcro nature into homes where both owners are gone 8+ hours a day, 5-6 days out of the week. The breeder of my standard poodles was adamant about these 2 things and she has people beating down her door to get pups. Heck, a lot of the working dog breeders won't place a pup in a home that just wants a pet with no intention to work the animal.

The few shelters that exist here (as overpopulation is not an issue here) have even more stringent rules - live in an apartment no dog, have young kids no dog, no fence no dog, no experience with the breed no dog, etc. The reason is one and simple - the dog has already been failed once, it will *not* be failed again. Dogs fly out of the shelters - one could almost say its easier to get a dog from a breeder than it is from a shelter in terms of simple availability (rules of adoptions aside).

So... why not demand more of the dog owning population rather than testing placements on the off chance that a permanent home *may* be found or the dog injured in some way (including emotional/mental distress) with less stringent requirements?

In Denmark there are laws (not merely rules) such as, one cannot sell dogs or cats from pet stores. Breeders are designated as kennels after "x" breedings per year which follows with kennel inspections. Breeders are required to take back any animal they produce. This is why the shelters we do have are not filled with dogs, because yes dogs are sometimes returned. One can't register a dog with the DKK merely because the parents are DKK registered dogs. The parents have to have a minumum placement in FCI sanctioned shows before their pups can earn a DKK tattoo and paperwork for example. This makes that tattoo a little more desireable and special.

That's not to say that there isn't the odd breeder out there who tries mass breeding. But most danes are savvy enough to steer clear of such breeders and the country is just not large enough for such people to not feel the disapproval of the other hard working breeders. But it's more than that. Breeding is the meat of the issue, but the blood of it is a populace that is, by and large, aware of breeding issues, health issues and training issues. There's an extensive network of support readily available to pet owners whose presence is supported and promoted by breeders, vets, the DKK, the police etc.

Neutering has *never* been a scheme promoted as a means to control unwanted behaviour or unwanted dogs over here. Education regarding animal husbandry has been the tool for that - coupled with some handy laws regarding keeping an intact bitch properly contained when in heat etc. (Again I speak only about Denmark here.)

The breeding rules are developed and monitored by the breed club and usually include requirements of hip scoring, eye, heart, whatever disease is a common affliction to the breed being recorded by the breed club. Particularily if one wishes to list a stud dog in a stud directory. Minimum showing requirements before breeding etc. Then there's the rules within the DKK for breeding which are similar for gaining the DKK registration. All the government is concerned about is that the animals are treated humanely as per the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals (altho this isnt without its own contentious issues).

Escrito por Tracy em 16 de fevereiro de 2006 para a lista Petdogs-L do Yahoo Groups