DR Cilla a Jesuit school in Portland will be auctioning off a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy and the Berner community is in an uproar. Included in the letter the president of the Oregon club sent the school are the rules about this stated by the AKC. I would like to send them to that group in your city that does the auction.
The American Kennel Club has the following posted on their web site:
Auction Policy (July 2003 Board meeting)
The Board reviewed its policy on Auctions, considering the recommendations of the High Volume Breeders Committee. Following a motion by Mrs. Strand, seconded by Mr. Gladstone, it was VOTED (unanimously) to revise AKC policy on auctions to read as follows:
1. "The American Kennel Club considers auctions and raffles not to be reasonable and appropriate methods to obtain or transfer dogs." (Note: items 1 and 2 have been reversed in order, but no wording has been altered).
2. "AKC's current inspection program shall include kennels/individuals offering dogs for sale at auctions."
3. "Any dog sold at auctions that is under 8 weeks of age or without microchip identification will be ineligible for AKC registration and shall be placed on permanent referral."
4. "The American Kennel Club discourages Parent Club rescue groups from purchasing dogs at auctions. Although Parent Clubs may be doing good things for individual dogs purchased at auctions, it perpetuates the problem and tends to create a seller's market. Reciprocally, auctioneers seek more dogs of those breeds to offer at auctions. AKC applauds the work of Parent Club rescue groups on many fronts. However, AKC believes that the purchasing of dogs at auctions is not overall in the best interest of purebred dogs."
Our parent club, the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America, also requires their members to adhere to the following regarding auctions:
BMDCA members agree to:
• D) ensure to their best ability that all dogs they place are not brokered, wholesaled or consigned through a pet shop, auction or other commercial establishment; and are not offered as prizes in contests, raffles or fundraising events.
These policies are in the best interests of the dog. Buying a dog at auction provides no protection for the puppy that it will be well cared for, will receive proper veterinary care, or that the owner knows anything about how to raise a puppy.
The bond between a responsible breeder and new owner ensures that these issues will be addressed and that any questions the owner may have can be quickly answered by the breeder. If at any time the new owner cannot properly care for the puppy, or it develops serious health issues later in life (which is a concern for BMDs) a responsible breeder will take the dog back with no questions asked. Can the person who offered the BMD for auction make this same guarantee? Will that breeder be available to mentor the new owner in raising the puppy?
