General – Page 3

KENNEL CLUB URGES CAUTION AS FESTIVE PERIOD SEES RISE IN DOGS EATING TOXIC FOOD

TOXIC FOOD

New statistics released today (5 December) by The Kennel Club shows that dogs are more likely to be treated for eating toxic grapes and raisins during the festive period compared to the rest of the year. Both fruits can be found in a number of festive food, including Christmas cake, Christmas pudding and mince pies and, as such, the organisation is urging pet owners to be vigilant about canine Christmas dangers over the coming weeks.

The data, collected by the dog welfare organisation’s insurance partner, Agria Pet Insurance, revealed that more than a third (34%) of all claims for grape and raisin poisoning were made during the Christmas period (November 2022-January 2023). In fact, at almost double the monthly average, January was the highest month overall, highlighting that owners need to be vigilant both in the lead-up to the big day, as well as in the weeks following when pets may still be looking to get their paws on Christmas leftovers.

THE KENNEL CLUB INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR CHAMPIONSHIP OBEDIENCE STATUS

The Kennel Club wishes to advise obedience competitors that Govan & District Dog Training Club has relinquished their championship obedience status with immediate effect.

Any society that would be interested in applying for future championship obedience status should submit a presentation for consideration. Please note that it will be necessary to select a date which does not coincide with another championship obedience show. An application from a club which already holds a championship obedience show will also be considered.

Applications should include details of the society’s committee structure and show management team, as well as information on the proposed show venue and its facilities available for judges, competitors, dogs and spectators.

Presentations should be submitted to the Working Dog Activities team at The Kennel Club at obedience@thekennelclub.org.uk by 17 November 2023.

Conduct at Kennel Club licensed events and on social media

The Kennel Club Board and the Disciplinary Committee have endorsed the introduction of further regulatory support to help ensure all those taking part in or attending licensed events behave in a responsible and a respectful manner.

It is the responsibility of all participants to uphold the core values of courtesy and respect surrounding canine activities. Alongside this, those same values ought to be in play on social media in the context of comments and opinions being expressed about participants at Kennel Club licensed events. This new measure introduces a system for issuing yellow and red cards in response to unacceptable behaviour at Kennel Club licensed events and on social media (in the context of licensed events).

The issue of a yellow card in response to unacceptable conduct will indicate that should there be a further incident and / or repetition of a complaint on a similar issue, then the yellow card will escalate to a red card status.

A red card status will result in an automatic fixed period of 60/90 days for refusal of entry and attending Kennel Club licensed events – and such period will be aligned with any relevant competition or event season.

Minutes of the KC Obedience Liaison Council meeting on 20th July 2023

Attached are the minutes of the meeting.

Minutes-20.07.23 Download

ACCREDITED TRAINERS FOR OBEDIENCE NEEDED FOR JUDGES’ TRAINING PROGRAMME

The Kennel Club is calling for anyone interested in becoming an Obedience Accredited Trainer for the judges’ training programme to get in touch.

This judges’ training programme has been developed over a period of time and follows the requirements already in place for those involved in judging other canine activities. It underlines The Kennel Club’s commitment to maintaining and improving the standard of judges and judging at official Kennel Club licensed events and, in so doing, ensures the quality of dogs and the value of awards they receive at these events.

‘CRUEL’ ELECTRIC SHOCK COLLARS BANNED IN ENGLAND

In a ‘historic moment for animal welfare’ The Kennel Club has welcomed news that the Government has laid legislation which will completely ban the use of remote controlled electric shock collars in England, as of 1 February 2024, following a ten year campaign to #BanShockCollars.

FIND A CLUB SERVICE RETURNS TO THE KENNEL CLUB WEBSITE

The new and improved Find a Club service has now been launched on The Kennel Club website and is online at thekennelclub.org.uk/FAC.

The new Find a Club service now includes listings for: agility, dog showing (ringcraft training), breed clubs, field trials, gundog working tests, heelwork to music, obedience, rally, working trials and The Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog Training scheme under one area. It also clearly displays where a Kennel Club Accredited Instructor is training at a club.

THE KENNEL CLUB RECEIVES ROYAL PREFIX ON ITS 150TH ANNIVERSARY

The Kennel Club is delighted to announce that it has been granted a Royal Prefix to mark the 150^th anniversary of its existence. Henceforth, the organisation is named The Royal Kennel Club.

Chairman of The Kennel Club, Tony Allcock OBE, said: “We are honoured that as of the 4April 2023, the date the club celebrates its 150^th anniversary, The Kennel Club will be known as The Royal Kennel Club.

THE FUTURE OF DISCOVER DOGS

The Kennel Club has announced that the London Discover Dogs event will not be taking place in 2023. It will take a break for a year, with the aim of bringing it back with a refreshed and reinvigorated new look in 2024.

Discover Dogs has been a feature at Crufts since 1991 and will continue to be so. In 1996 it was brought to London as an additional event in its own right. The event grew in numbers and popularity over the years and moved location from Earls Court to London ExCel in 2015. In more recent times however, numbers attending the London event have declined and regrettably it sustained a significant financial shortfall in 2022.

BORDER COLLIE FROM WIRRAL CROWNED CRUFTS OBEDIENCE CHAMPION

Kervi, a six-year-old Border Collie, and her owner, Kathy Russell from Bromborough, Wirral, took home one of the top obedience prizes at Crufts on Saturday 11 March after winning the Obedience Championship (Bitches) final. The judge was Lou Jackson.

Kervi (Ob Ch Ruskath Klassified Image) came first in the final held at the world’s greatest dog show, Crufts, after competing against some of Britain’s best dogs for the coveted title. Kathy also secured second place with her ten-year-old Border Collie, Kafna (Ob Ch Sarkam Explicit Image for Ruskath), who is the mother of Kervi.