As competitive events begin to open up as a result of the phased easing of some Covid-19 restrictions, The Kennel Club wishes to remind competitors that they can use the ‘Name Applied For’ (NAF), ‘Transfer Applied For’ (TAF) and ‘Change of Name Applied For’ (CNAF) facilities, if necessary, when entering dogs for competition in any of The Kennel Club disciplines.

Kennel Club regulations dictate that dogs entered for any form of Kennel Club competition must be registered in the name of the person(s) making the entry. If, at the closing date of entries, the owner(s) have applied for but not received confirmation of The Kennel Club registration, the dog shall be entered in the name shown as the first choice on the application form for registration and the name should be followed by the letters ‘NAF’. An example of this would be ‘Clarges Oliver Twist NAF’.

The UK’s biggest organisation dedicated to the health and welfare of dogs has written to Zac Goldsmith, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) Minister, to urge swift action to implement a ban on the use of electric shock collars in England, following a Court of Appeal judgment last week which dismissed the appeal of the Electronic Collar Manufacturers Association and Petsafe Ltd.

The organisation’s post-lockdown ‘Paw-by-Paw Guide’ offers advice and guidance for new and seasoned dog owners to navigate newly found freedoms

With Covid-19 restrictions easing further from Monday (17 May) and the relaxation of rules around overnight stays, indoor dining and socialisation, The Kennel Club has issued advice to help dog owners enjoy their newly found freedoms responsibly, alongside their four-legged friends.

The UK’s biggest organisation dedicated to the health and welfare of dogs has today (12 May) welcomed the Government’s newly announced Action Plan for Animal Welfare. The first of its kind, the flagship plan aims to ensure the UK is leading the way in animal welfare and includes a ban on the use of electric shock collars, a move which has been long-campaigned for by The Kennel Club.

The use and sale of electric shock collars is currently not prohibited in England, with Wales being the only nation with regulations in place which prevent their use. Research funded by the Department of Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) demonstrated that electronic collars can have a detrimental effect on the welfare of dogs by causing them unnecessary harm and suffering, with 25 per cent of dogs trained with shock collars showing signs of stress.

In February 2021 the Board directed that registered societies may relax / suspend constitutional provisions, through its enactment of Regulation C5.e. In this way, societies may legitimately process routine business by adopting interim arrangements such as postal / online voting or remote meetings, as appropriate.

Whilst this was for six-month period relating to the processing of routine business usually dealt with at AGMs, this now been extended to 31 December 2021.