THE LAST 'BREED' DESIGNATION WAS THE LAST STRAW

 

 When I saw an obvious multi-generational, randomly bred mutt listed as a Smooth Collie, it finally pushed me to write to the Feds. I note that after I bitched about it, pun intended, on Facebook, the designation has been changed to mix.

Coupled with the recent discovery that puppies are being sold as purebred that are NOT purebred over the inter-tubes, in direct violation of federal law, and the Ontario govt's co-opting of powers they do not legitimately have under the Pedigree Act, I decided enough is enough.

Plus, I was tired of playing around on Facebook, trying to irritate as many people as possible with the least amount of effort.  Too many people kept agreeing with me and spoiling the game :>)

This letter was faxed this morning.  I am posting it to provide the contact info, in case you feel the same way.  Write your own letter and send it if you are as fed up as I am with all the BS out there.

I'll be very interested in the response to this.

*

 

 February 15, 2012

 

David Trus
Animal Industry Division
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
1341 Baseline Road
Tower 5, Floor 2 Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0C5

Fax: 613-773-0300

 

Dear Mr Trus:

 

RE:  Animal Pedigree Act

 

I am writing to inform you of violations of the Animal Pedigree Act, specifically as it relates to purebred dogs.

 

I understand that the Canadian Kennel Club is the only agency authorized by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to:

 

1. Register and maintain the pedigrees of purebred dogs in Canada

2. Name purebred dogs

3. Recognize breeds of purebred dogs

4. Judge purebred dogs

5. Certify that dogs are sold as purebred

 

In Ontario, and I presume elsewhere, a large number of individuals are selling puppies over the internet at sites such as Kijiji as purebred animals.  These animals are neither individually identified nor registered with the CKC so according to the Act, these vendors are in violation of federal law.

 

There are also many animal pounds, shelters and private rehoming operations that are naming mixed breed dogs as purebred.  Just today I saw a generic mongrel on a pound website listed as a Smooth Collie.  Not 'collie type' or 'collie mix', which would have been ridiculous enough given the accompanying photo, but Smooth Collie.  Animal control officers and others who work with unwanted or stray animals are not authorized to attribute purebred status to unmarked, unregistered animals and are not accredited as breed judges by the CKC.  (I realize that judging a dog does not decide breed, but rather which animal comes closest to the ideal for his breed).

 

Finally, as you know, the Ontario government in 2005 took it upon itself to rename purebred dogs, to combine pure breeds to create a new breed ("pit bull") in violation of federal law.  It further undertook to encourage untrained, uncertified individuals to determine which dogs fit this 'breed' and granted them permission to refer to breed standards.  While this unfortunately withstood a court challenge, I am concerned that all these little erosions of the Pedigree Act, if not addressed, will continue to degrade the registration, identification, naming, breeding and judging - in other words the integrity -  of purebred dogs in Canada.

  I presume that if this is happening with dogs, it is happening with all the other breeds of purebred animals governed by the Act.

 

I thank you for your kind consideration and hope something will be done to ameliorate this situation within a reasonable time frame.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

Selma Mulvey

Address

Phone, Fax, Email

 

c:       The Hon Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

          FAX: 613-996-8472

 

          My MP

 

Comments

[Dirk Emde]

Surely they will have to crack down Ontario now that they have this info. I'm sure that they simply didn't have the facts before or surely they would have acted.
Thank you, Dirk Emde