Comments on: Kennel Club’s Dubious PR Exploits Exposed

By: bruce

bruce — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:31:48 +0000

The blame for the present disgusting situation of chronically ill and deformed dogs and the ever narrowing genepools has to be laid at the door of the SHOW breeders who, for years, have slavishly bred according their misguided interpretation of the breed standards. In their desperation to win rosettes and trophies they have created many exaggerated dogs and JUDGES HAVE REWARDED these exaggerations thus perpetuating the crime. And in my opinion it is a crime. eg “well angulated” gsds are now over angulated cripples, bulldogs “massive” skulls are ultra massive deformities, “cobby” pugs now have stomach tissue intruding into chest cavities, weather resistant double coats of rough collies are now an impediment to the dog in the all weather.Low to the ground bassets are now unathletic bags of loose flesh and slobber who battle to shuffle around the ring yet the chairman of the basset club insists they have improved this breed of hunting hound in the last 60 years!Pa-leeZ! The KC is run by these same people – they will never change – the programme highlighted their ignorance of the original function of their breeds and blindness to the problem – Irvine’s angry response of saying that he didnt need scientists telling him about dogs is typical of the arrogance. The KC should be disbanded, in-breeding and line breeding banned and the breeding of pedigree dogs should be under the guidance and supervision of knowledgeble people – geneticists, vets, dog welfare specialists and dog historians. No dog should be bred from that has not had every health test possible and a working qualification.Registries should be thrown open to broaden the gene pool eg welsh or patterdale terriers could be used to bring new blood into lakelands and inter variety breeding between the varieties of belgian shepherds should be encouraged not banned as it is now.

By: Anon

Anon — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:47:35 +0000

It may appear misleading now the records have been changed James, but at the time it was registered to Publitek New Media Ltd.

I was brought up to stay away from trouble or expect trouble to find me. Im guessng the same applies here?

By: Dr Dan Lyons

Dr Dan Lyons — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:04:32 +0000

The Kennel Club’s role is to represent the commercial interests of dog breeders, not the welfare of dogs. So it’s not surprising that dogs are allowed to suffer and that cruel practices are institutionalised by the KC. Bear in mind that the KC also supports and takes sponsorship money from pet food companies like Iams that conduct painful lab experiments on animals. In any culture that treats animals purely as ornaments and objects, there is a danger that their welfare will be sacrificed to the sickening degree exposed last night.

By: Penny Black

Penny Black — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:50:15 +0000

How can you not expect the Kenenl Club to put PR and advertising in place after such a biased unjust programme?!!

THe Kennel Club have had schemes in place for years to try and iradicate breeding in breeds, but it can’t happen over night! They aren’t the government and they can’t put legislation in place. As they said last night, if they suddenly came down on all breeders “you must do this” they won’t and will go and breed anyway without any guidance!

Its caome from Supply and demand and if the public demanded that they will only buy a pedigree dog from a Kennel Club Accredited Breeder then all breeders would have to join the Scheme and muct conduct the health schemes which are required. But if there are people that will buy from these bad breeders and puppy farmers then this breeding will still happen.

The research that was talked abotu on the show last night fromt he Imperial college woudln’t have been possible without the Kennel Club as they backed it and allowed them access to all their records – why would they do that if they didn’t care about the welfare of dogs??!!

Take a look at the Kennel Club’s Charitable Trust – http://www.kccharitabletrust.org.uk and look at all the money it has put into the health and welfare of dogs. The KC is a not for profit aorgansisation and all money is reinvested back into schemes to help dogs. Have a look at their website and make an educated guess before believing the “News of the World” Journalism that the programme last ngiht protrayed.

By: James Johnson

James Johnson — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:21:56 +0000

I am the James Johnson referred to in the above post.

I am afraid you have jumped to incorrect conclusions. Publitek New Media Ltd creates multimedia, Publitek Ltd – the PR company – is actually a separate company to Publitek New Media Ltd, and has no association with The Kennel Club whatsoever – they specialise in PR for the electronics sector.

Myself and my company Publitek New Media Ltd were contracted by the Kennel Club in 2004 to create a web site aimed at dog owners and breeders. The aim of the site – doggenetichealth.org – was to educate about genetic diseases in dogs and how dog breeders can avoid them. I worked with the Kennel Clubs geneticist on this project, and was chosen because of my background – I have a degree in biology and experience creating educational multimedia. I was previously head of multimedia at the Natural History Museum in London.

doggenetichealth.org is not a PR exercise, but a genuine and well intentioned attempt to help reduce genetic disorders in dogs. You will see from the domain name record that the site has been running since 2004. It has proved helpful to many dog owners and the interactives are used in schools to help teach genetics.

Finally, myself or Publitek New Media Ltd had no part in purchasing the Google advertising you mention in the above post.

I have received unpleasant email this morning attacking me personally. I would ask you please to remove this post as it is highly misleading.

By: Andrew Rowley

Andrew Rowley — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 22:48:56 +0000

we in the working dog community have been screaming out for action on the effects of the KC and show world on breeds of dogs that are no longer fit for purpose. This is the case for working gundogs, labs, spaniels, setters, gsp’s etc that are being bred for the ring with no regard for their abiltiy to work.
The protection sports ie working trails and schutzhund have had to bring in bloodlines from abroad for over 20 years due to the poor state of gsd’s that have such angulation that they are ubable to work, also they do not have sound enough tempramnt and nerves, so are not fit for purpose.
In germany and other places several working breeds can not breed unless they pass working trials and health checks to show they are sound in body and mind. And yet the KC will not even recognise schutzhund and activley tries to smear the sport, heaven forbid that breeding numbers drop due to owners having to train their dogs to a descent standard to show they are sound.
250,000 pups a year at £12 pound a registartion….