WAFDAL

By email to:             Dalmatian Breed Clubs via Club Secretaries

Dalmatian Breed Health Coordinator

Copy for information to:        Mrs J Evans

Date:             20^th October 2009

Dear Secretary / Health Coordinator

Re: Addition of two imported dogs to the Kennel Club registration system (Dalmatians)

As you may already be aware, the General Committee of the Kennel Club has recently considered an application, by Mrs J Evans, to admit to the registration system two Dalmatian dogs that she wishes to import from the USA.  The dogs are not registered with any Kennel Club with which the Kennel Club has a reciprocal agreement.  The dogs are however descendants of an intentional outcrossing programme that reintroduced the low (or normal) uric acid gene into the Dalmatian breed.  They are now reportedly entirely typical of the Dalmatian breed in terms of appearance.

Please be advised that the General Committee of the Kennel Club is minded to accept these applications, having considered the positive contribution that these dogs could offer to the health and welfare of the Dalmatian breed i.e. to reintroduce the gene for normal uric acid excretion to the Dalmatian breed in the UK.

For information, the procedure will be as follows:

• The imported dogs will be screened for all issues currently required or recommended for Dalmatian breeders in the Kennel Club Accredited Breeder Scheme
• They will be assessed by two Judges approved to award Kennel Club Challenge Certificates to Dalmatians, who will be asked to comment on their appearance in relation to the Kennel Club Breed Standard for Dalmatians
• The views of the Dalmatian Breed Clubs on the detail of this proposal will be sought but only to the extent that these views relate to the health and welfare of the Dalmatian breed

If after the above has been carried out the dogs are deemed to be acceptable by the Kennel Club for registration, they will be added to the Kennel Club Registration system.

• The Kennel Club’s registration system will employ the asterisk system for both of the imported dogs i.e. the original imports will be marked with three asterisks, any progeny resulting from a mating with a non-asterisked dog will be marked with two asterisks, then any progeny’s progeny, again as a result of a mating with a non-asterisked dog, with one asterisk and thereafter none.
• The imported dogs and any progeny will be subject, for a period of ten years, to the endorsement: ‘not eligible for export pedigree’.

The Kennel Club is acutely aware of the need to communicate with breed clubs on these matters, and as outlined above we would thus welcome the views of the clubs on the impact of the Committee’s proposed decision on the health and welfare of the Dalmatian breed.

We are aware of the breed’s meeting this weekend, which is being attended by Prof Jeff Sampson, the KC Genetics Consultant, and we would be grateful if we could have any feedback relating to the health and welfare considerations of this proposed decision by the end of the month.

Yours sincerely

Caroline Kisko

Kennel Club Secretary