Good breeders are few and far between

It is rare that a day goes by that I don´t vaccinate a new puppy or kitten for a client, it is a fun consultation and I always ask them where they got their new pet from. This isn´t because I am looking for myself (I have a houseful of waifs and strays!) but because so many animals are bred by people who are not responsible. The answer helps me know what kind of advice the proud new owner needs and what standard of care the new puppy or kitten is likely to have had before they got it.

People chose to breed animals for many different reasons; because the kids insist on having a litter of cute baby animals; because they truly believe their pet is wonderful and want to create more like them or; and most commonly, for the money. Breeding pets, especially pedigree dogs, can be a
lucrative business and it is not surprising people see it as an easy way to make some cash. However, this is rarely in the best interests of the animal and can go horribly wrong. . Vets and breeders will always have a love-hate relationship, from those who have been ´breeding for 30 years´ and therefore think they know more than the vet, to others who have bred a bitch without any thought and produce poor quality animals, or worse, end up needing a caesarian they cannot afford. However, we see the consequences of over-breeding from the animals perspective; dogs and cats crippled with hereditary diseases and rescue centres over-flowing with unwanted pets. Good breeders, who genuinely have the best interests of the animals at heart and are in it for the love not the money, are few and far between.

I recently went to Discover Dogs, the annual celebration of all things pedigree run by the Kennel Club and there I had the pleasure of meeting some extremely responsible, caring and committed breeders. These people were all passionate about their dogs, ensured every animal had undergone, and passed, the necessary health checks and kept in contact with every pup they bred. Certainly, if you are looking for a pedigree puppy, then the Kennel Club website is the place to start. However, even here you have to be on your guard. Even though the Kennel Club runs many different schemes for health checks on pedigree pets, I was horrified to discover that these are not compulsory for their registered breeders. This is a ludicrous situation which allows breeders who know their pets carry debilitating illnesses, but who are otherwise ´excellent examples of their breed´ to continue producing from their animals. I would like to see these checks become mandatory and, furthermore, any animal who fails them be neutered to ensure their genes cannot be passed on.

If you do want to buy any young animal from a breeder then it is definitely a ´buyer beware´ situation and this applies to both pedigree and cross-bred animals. Firstly, you should always visit the breeder at home and be able to see the mother with her babies. Secondly, ask yourself honestly whether this person has truly bred in the best interest of the animal; how many litters has she had in the past year, are all the pups or kittens flea-free and wormed, have all the relevant health checks been carried out and passed? Doing some homework on your chosen breed will pay dividends in ensuring your new pet is as healthy as possible, is suitable for your lifestyle and has the best chance of a problem free life. The best advice is that if you have any doubts at all, then walk away. Never buy an animal to ´rescue´ it, this will only encourage the breeder and condemn more animals to the same situation and if you are significantly concerned, then call the RSPCA.

If you have a pet and are considering breeding from it then my immediate answer would be ´don´t´. Breeding animals is not an easy task, can be expensive, especially if there are complications, and is hard work (clearing up after a litter of lively, hungry puppies is a full time job!) It is an oft repeated statement and I sometimes feel like a stuck record, but rescue centres are over-flowing with unwanted pets, all of which have been bred by someone and I bet they were convinced that their pets would ´never´ end up in a rescue kennels but they do. Also, and again this cannot be stated often enough, there is no advantage to the bitch or queen in having a litter at all. However, if you are determined then I would advise you do it as responsibly as possible; talk to experienced breeders and your vet, find out the health tests your pet should have and make sure they are done, and be prepared to be responsible for any animal you breed for the rest of its life.

Of course, people are always going to breed animals, either by accident or design. However, when you have been faced with an owner who cannot afford a caesarian on a welping bitch and is therefore likely to lose both her and all the pups, or have been round a rescue kennels euthanasing unwanted pets, there is only ever one answer to the question´ do you think I should breed?´ If this article makes even one person change their mind about breeding, then quite frankly that is not nearly enough, but it will be a start and I shall be happy with that.