The Kennel Club Assured Breeder Scheme (ABS), the only scheme in the UK to monitor and inspect dog breeders, has been praised in the House of Lords during an oral question session on puppy farming.
During questions on closing down puppy farms which breach animal welfare standards, and the apprehension of gangs selling illegally imported puppies, the Countess of Mar, a crossbench member of the House of Lords, praised the Kennel Club for doing “a great deal to publicise” the importance of puppy buyers seeing a puppy with its mother in a good social breeding environment.
In response to these comments, the Lords Spokesman for the Department of Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra), Lord Gardiner of Kimble, discussed the importance of puppy buyers going to a reputable breeder and referred to the Assured Breeder Scheme as an “absolutely excellent industry gold standard” that he would endorse.
Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: “The Kennel Club is the only organisation in the UK accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service to certify dog breeders, under the ABS, so we are pleased that the scheme is being recognised in discussions in the House of Lords.
“It goes to show that decision makers are recognising that the scheme, and the breeders who are a part of it, are helping to protect dog welfare through responsible breeding practices. This is why we signpost puppy buyers to Assured Breeders to help give them the best chance of getting a puppy that will live a long and healthy life, as currently there is no other way for puppy buyers to identify responsible breeders when they are looking for a puppy.
“We work closely with Defra on a number of campaigns and have long pushed for the standards of the ABS to be adopted in dog breeding legislation. We are glad that those standards are being recognised as the safest way for puppy buyers to get a healthy and happy pup, which is largely down to the responsible and knowledgeable breeders who are members of it.”
The oral question session held in the House of Lords can be viewed here. Questions on puppy farming and illegal imports begin around the 14 minutes 44 second mark.
Read more information on the Kennel Club Assured Breeder Scheme.
