The Kennel Club is launching a dynamic new resource for breed clubs and individual breeders – the Breed Health and Conservation Plans project – to protect and maintain dog health.
The purpose of the Breed Health and Conservation Plans will be to ensure that all health concerns are identified through evidence-based criteria and breeders are provided with appropriate information and resources to ensure they are supported in tackling health problems and achieving positive health goals for dogs, now and in the future.
The Breed Health and Conservation Plans will take a holistic view of breed health with consideration given to known hereditary conditions, complex hereditary conditions, conformational concerns and population genetics. Among the resources dedicated to the project there will be a team with experience in veterinary science, quantitative genetics, epidemiology, dog breeding, and bio-veterinary science, to enable the development of the plans.
The project, part of the Kennel Club’s wider work to improve dog health, will involve collaboration across a broad spectrum of stakeholders including breed clubs and the veterinary and research community. Breed health coordinators will continue to be central collaborators in the identification of health concerns and risks.
Aimee Llewellyn-Zaidi, Head of Health and Research at the Kennel Club, said: “Our aim is to facilitate a clear and defined prioritisation of health concerns, and the project will be fundamental in setting health goals, based on scientific and veterinary literature and health research.
“Prioritisation will take into consideration a spectrum of evidence-based measures, recognising the impact of individual health concerns on welfare, and maximum benefit for positive change to a breed.
“The bespoke nature of the breed-specific health plans will include monitoring and review, so we can ensure that ongoing health needs are accommodated and reflect progress and achievements.”
Key breeds have been identified as the first to collaborate on a Breed Health and Conservation Plan. In time, all breeds will have a plan developed in collaboration with the Kennel Club.
For more information on Breed Health and Conservation Plans, please email us.