Should you put loyalty to other breeders before the welfare of the dogs they breed?

[Margaret C]

First I must say that I know many wonderful caring breeders, that have tried so hard to produce healthy cavaliers. I am so proud to call them friends.
It is the breeder that does not consider the welfare of the dogs they breed that I wish to change.

I have been asked on another, mainly pet owner, list if I thought it
was right to break the confidentiality of another breeder?

My reply was that I did not think I should put loyalty to another breeder before my concerns about puppies that are being bred from a dog with a painful inherited disease.

Interestingly this answer has not yet shown on the list, although other critical comments about me, from the small core of breeder members, have continued to appear.

Margaret C

[misty]

Margaret, I admire your strength of conviction and, to my mind, there's only one answer .

I worry for this wonderful breed and its' future. As much as I love Cavaliers, it breaks my heart to see more and more being bred to be in pain.

Too many people bury their heads in the sand and I highly respect breeders who are trying to ensure the future good health of our darling breed, by carrying out the recommended tests and scans.

[cecily]

Margaret, when staying 'loyal' to a breeder who knowingly breeds dogs with something like symptomatic SM is seen as the right thing to do, I just don't know what kind of world we are living in! Many terrible things happen in this world when people stand by and say nothing. But every so often someone like yourself comes along to make a stand, and I hope you find that many, many people stand alongside you. You know the merits for what you do, as do the many pet-owners and responsibe breeders on this board

[CavyMom]

I agree, as hard as it is, if there's a problem with a dog, I think that needs to come before loyalty to any breeder. I face the same problem with my Italian Greyhounds - They have no where near the extent of problems as cavs, but I get so sick of breeders that don't do any health testing, and claim there's no problems in this breed that require it - VWD, seizures, and patella luxations are getting worse and worse in IGs because of breeders like that!!! And some know there's a problem in their lines, and still refuse to do anything about it or even warn puppy buyers, it's very sad!

[Cathy Moon]

Margaret, I think you did the right thing, and I admire you for speaking up. It took a lot of courage, and you will most likely need to draw on your courage many times in the future. I will never forget what you have done, and truly hope we are all strong enough to only purchase our future cavalier puppies from the truly ethical breeders (we need to know who more of them are!)

When a group of people, like the breeders who colluded with the BIS breeder, choose to cause harm to others and to hide behind a code of silence, you must stand up for what is right. Otherwise you are conspiring with them, a very painful place to be.

In a college level psychology class, our professor said, "be careful what you do." He went on to explain that when people choose to be dishonest, their beliefs about themselves have to change in order to make themselves right again in their own minds. What eventually happens is they become so dishonest about everything that they no longer know right from wrong.

Many of us on CavTalk have expressed how shocked and appalled we are knowing about the 26 litters sired by a dog after he was diagnosed with a syrinx before age 2. Some of our members have puppies from the litters who are now symptomatic. This is unconscionable. You did the right thing - don't ever question it.

[frecklesmom]

Margaret, they choose to lie and promote questionable health in a breed that is so loved. There cannot be wrong in declaring there horrible secret. What arrogance they and their supporters have shown and what compassion and integrity you have shown. God bless you and keep you strong in this righteous endeavor.

[Nicki]

When Jan Fennell {The Dog Listener} first thought about breeding herr Springer Spaniels, she was told by an experienced breeder that she may never improve the breed, but neither should she do any harm to it....

That really stuck with me, I think there are many Cavalier breeders who would do well to think on that...

My understanding was that you hadn't actually broken confidentiality anyway - the lady concerned didn't do herself any favours and I hope that she will now be removed from the Cavalier club for her actions.

You have my full support - the health and welfare of the dogs MUST come first...

[Maxxs_Mummy]

My understanding was that you hadn't actually broken confidentiality anyway - the lady concerned didn't do herself any favours and I hope that she will now be removed from the Cavalier club for her actions.

You have my full support - the health and welfare of the dogs MUST come first...

Nicki,

I doubt she will be removed when she has the Southern CKCS club backing her up - as far as i am concerned, they should both be removed in disgrace!


Margaret,

I truly admire your courage of conviction to say what you did on tv. Stand up for your rights and those of our beloved breed. Some people just should not own dogs let alone be allowed to breed from them, full stop.

If this was put into human terms and there was a set of parents having babies that were going to be deformed, being beaten / starved or whatever. would you then be castigated for speaking up about it? It would seem that because 'it's only a dog' it doesn't seem to matter

[Sabby]

Hi Margaret

Loyalty to Breeders? Where is the loyalty from Breeders like that to this beautiful breed ? If there would be more people like you we probably wouldn't have that many problems with this lovley breed right now.

Sabby

[sins]

I've been thinking about this all week and the only comparison I can think of is the MRSA scandal in our hospitals.It's been covered up for several years,ignored,people who highlighted the problem were villified. Those in authority pay lip service to the problem ,but noone takes responsibility,noone enforces the solution but yet someone will have to mop up the mess.
The welfare of the dogs must come before loyalty to the breeders.
I think in time most breeders will come around to this way of thinking.They just need to be shown the way by the core group who are scanning and most importantly, you've reached people like me who are considering breeding and if you can convince the novices that this is the way to go then there's hope that todays starter will be tomorrow's successful breeder and I think over the next ten years some very attractive clean lines will emerge and that the breeders of those cavaliers will work together for the welfare of the breed.
Sins