Outrage at new Standard for Pekes
16 Oct 2008 08:20
OUTRAGE at the way in which the new Pekingese breed Standard had been imposed was expressed at an emergency meeting called at the weekend.
Those present were disappointed that the Kennel Club had ‘focused solely’ on changes to the conformation of the Pekingese and cross that no ‘democratic discussion’ had taken place ahead of the KC’s announcement.
It was agreed unanimously that the KC would be asked to publish the ‘detailed evidence’ it holds which resulted in the new Standard and to request a meeting between ‘the KC’s experts’ and the breed’s own ‘in the near future.’ The breed ‘should be united and speak with one voice’, the meeting agreed, and should work with experts in the field of genetics and veterinary medicine.
Top priority
A spokesman said afterwards that those at the meeting, which was independently chaired by Geoffrey Davies, were in full agreement that the health of the breed was the top priority but that they felt the KC had not recognised some of the activities members of the breed had already undertaken to improve its general health. These include breed-wide health surveys, veterinary examinations at shows and cardiovascular screening.
In addition, they said, further proposals had been submitted to the KC including a focus on genetics, evidence-based breeding programmes, mentoring of newcomers to the breed, judges’ assessment of the breed’s health, publication of A Guide to Brachycephalic Dogs and educational workshops.
A co-ordinator was appointed at the meeting, but has not been named publicly. Finally, those present called for ‘all breeders and Pekingese lovers’ to unite to ensure that the breed remained ‘fit for function, fit for life in the 21st century.’
This emergency meeting was preceded six days earlier – and 24 hours before the KC announced the new Standard – by one between representatives from a number of Pekingese clubs to formulate a response to the KC’s recent letters. At this it was agreed that the clubs would accept the KC’s new code of ethics, an application to the KC should be made to form a Pekingese breed council primarily for health, a breed-specific code of ethics should be drawn up, newcomers to the breed should be mentored, there should be a judges’ assessment of breed health and educational workshops on genetics and ‘healthy dogs/healthy living’ should be staged next year.
And yet another meeting is planned for next Thursday at Midland Counties to which delegates from each Pekingese club have been invited. The agenda includes the KC’s new health review, the new Standard and whether confidence remained in health co-ordinator Roy Stott who claimed this week that he had become the subject of a witch-hunt.
“I only found out about the meeting yesterday and I haven’t seen the agenda,” he said.
“I think they are trying to remove me from the health committee. I have worked hard on research and a survey over 18 months but I think there is a group of people who don’t like the findings and are using me as a scapegoat.
“I won’t let them belittle me, but I’m feeling really stressed and I can’t be doing with it all. I am considering resigning – I’m not wanted.”