PRO'S REPORT ON THE MEETING HELD AT THE GEORGE, MARKFIELD
LEICESTERSHIRE ON SATURDAY 15TH NOVEMBER 2003

 

The Chairman opened the meeting at 11.00am with 17 constituent clubs present – East Midlands, North Eastern, Notts and Derby, Potteries, North of Scotland, The Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club, South Wales, Merseyside, Southern Counties, East Anglia, Downlands, North West, Western, Alyn And Deeside, Morecambe Bay & Cumbria, Northern Counties and The Scottish Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club. Apologies were received from Northern Ireland.

MATTERS ARISING

Following the standing down of Mr. David Levy as Kennel Club Breed Council Liaison Officer, Mr. Jim Beaufoy will take over from next year. The Breed Council expressed their thanks for all the hard work Mr. Levy has undertaken on their behalf.

FREE DISCUSSION PERIOD

The Subject of eye testing was raised in the free discussion period, and it was suggested that in the event of an animal not passing, the owner was perfectly entitled to seek a second opinion. The KCBVA appeals system which is currently in place does give the owner the best possible chance of obtaining an accurate result for their dog. It was also suggested that the Chief Panelist should be asked to implement a system whereby owners of affected dogs are informed that a second opinion can be sought.

DNA PROFILING

It was agreed that DNA profiling was the way forward for completely accurate indentification of stock, but some concern was expressed that this could possibly encourage further breeding of unregistered stock.



EUROPEAN CONVENTION ON PET ANIMALS

With impending legislation on the above the subject of Health and Welfare of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier was raised, and whilst the United Kingdom will be joining at some time in the future, it was felt that Health and Welfare matters were best taken care of by
Individual clubs.

STOLEN STAFFORDS

With dog theft ever on the increase and in the light of the last
Meeting and the implementation of a central web site, potentially Pet Log, in conjunction with the Kennel Club, the KCBLO Officer said he would apply some pressure on the Kennel Club, as there has been very little progress to date. The Breed Council is very keen to implement some form of back up for the owners of lost dogs, and it was suggested that the Kennel Club be asked for a timetable of events for setting up this central web site. In the event of this proving to be too protracted then the possibility of using another web site to provide the same service would be explored.



HC/DNA UPDATE

The Animal Health Trust is still seeking its significant linkage, although there have been some positive indications from the latest set of markers. The AHT will still accept blood tests from HC affected dogs and close relatives.

It is interesting to note that it has been the nature of the condition over the years in Staffords that incidence of Hereditary Cataracts comes to prominence and then subsides again for a period before once again raising it’s head and judging by recent eye test results things have at the moment gone quiet. One thing is for sure that history tells us that the condition will not have disappeared from the breed.

Date of the Next Meeting Saturday 13th March 2004.


Veronica Brown, Public Relations Officer,
Staffordshire Bull Terrier Breed Council of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland.

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