NADBR Research Team Member Calls for Platinum Standard for Dog Breeders

    FORT WORTH, TX, May 09, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Kim Colacchio, a member of the National Alliance for Dog Breeding Reform, may be on to something. One of the challenges the group has faced is how to convey to the public which dog breeders are practicing conscientious husbandry, followed by quality care for the mother and resulting pups.

Mrs. Colacchio has proposed a seal of approval--the Platinum Standard--to honor and promote "good breeders who have raised their dogs under optimal conditions (well fed, well socialized, given top shelf veterinary care, kept in a clean environment with room to exercise, and adequately protected from the elements)."

Mrs. Colacchio compares the Platinum Standard to the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. She stresses, "It would not replace the AKC, but complement it, by certifying breeders for the quality of care provided to puppies and parents."

Through research, Mrs. Colacchio found that AKC registration indicates only that a dog's parents were registered as one of the recognized breeds. AKC registration does not necessarily indicate that a dog came from a healthy or show-quality bloodline. Nor is registration a reflection of the quality of the breeder or an indication of how the puppy was raised.(1)

Good and bad breeders are allowed to register their dogs AKC. Various breeders who registered their dogs AKC have been shut down, raided, and closed shortly after having been inspected by an AKC inspector. The AKC employs approximately nine field inspectors(2)--that makes keeping up with the practices of thousands of dog breeders a daunting task.

This is where the Platinum Standard comes in--it aims to motivate breeders who aren't raising their dogs under the optimal conditions mentioned above to improve their facilities and upgrade their breeding practices. Further, excellent dog breeders who already meet high standards would be able to differentiate themselves. And breeders just entering the market would have a respectable foundation on which to build.

Mrs. Colacchio summarizes the benefits of a Platinum Standard, "If the Platinum Standard were to become widely adopted and followed, dogs would become the main beneficiaries. We, as pet owners, would have reliable sources for healthy, happy puppies that have been bred under the best conditions."

To read Kim Colacchio's white paper about the Platinum Standard, visit NADBR's leadership's post page. If you have suggestions, comments or would like to help in any way to make the Platinum Standard a reality, please contact National Alliance for Dog Breeding Reform.

(1) (2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Kennel_Club

National Alliance for Dog Breeding Reform
National Alliance for Dog Breeding Reform (NADBR) is committed to the goal of ensuring that dogs bred for profit are shown kindness, treated humanely, and bred using only medically sound practices. To learn about volunteer opportunities, connect on Facebook or at NADBR's website.

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