AKC and OBC

Judi W · #1 09-05-2004, 11:40 PM

This is long, but I hope US residents will read and respond.

As many of you know, AKC has proposed a new program entitled Online Breeder Classified. The message below provides a link to more information about the program and encourages fanciers to sign a petition asking AKC to require that health clearance information and more be provided to enable buyers to make informed decisions regarding the health and quality of the puppies that are listed for sale in this format.

Please take the time to familiarize yourself with this proposed program. The parent club delegates to the AKC will be meeting in the very near future to discuss and vote on this proposal.

Pamela Grant, President
American Rottweiler Club
----- Original Message -----

Sent: Saturday, September 04, 2004 7:57 PM
Subject: Fw: The AKC OBC

It has come to my attention that you may be interested in an online petition trying to have the AKC make changes to its OBC initiative.

I think we all understand that this program is going ahead because it will produce several million dollars of yearly income. The best anyone can hope for is to have the AKC make changes to the program which will differentiate the responsible breeder from the BYB and puppy miller. It would be very easy for the AKC to require mandatory breed specific health disclosures and detailed statements of AKC and breed specific titles for the parents and grandparents of the pups. These two areas often separate the miller from the responsible breeder. Such information is easily collected, placed in the individual listing and is objectively verifiable. More importantly, it should not hurt AKC revenue.

Even the most impetuous buyer would be impressed and use this data in making his selection. Remember what a large effect those little, yellow, energy efficiency tags have had on water heater and gas furnace sales.

I am on the Board of Directors of my breed club and my all breed club. I am trying to offer positive, easily made changes which will have a large effect.

The specific details are on my website at www.JackDean.ORG <http://www.JackDean.ORG> and the Petition is at www.petitiononline.com/akcobc/petition.html <http://www.petitiononline.com/akcobc/petition.html>

Where I need your help is twofold. First, I would like you to sign the petition. Second, and far more importantly, I need your help in letting people know the facts and the existence of the petition. If you could distribute this email on any public internet lists you belong to, it would be most helpful. Particularly I would like to see it distributed to breed club members and delegates. If you would prefer I have attached a letter that Scott Wigginton, the author of the Petition, is distributing that might be better for people not so closely involved

Since the AKC delegates’ meeting is in mid September, there is a sense of urgency about doing this.

Any consideration you can give this request is appreciated.

Take care,
Jack Dean

If you wish, you may use this letter that I had sent out to a few people.

The AKC is going to start its Online Breeder Classified (OBC) program shortly and many dog owners would like your help in trying to make the AKC change a part of the program.

OBC is the name that the AKC uses to describe letting sellers of an AKC registered litter with unsold puppies advertise on the AKC website. It will exclude only wholesalers and pet shops. It means the buyer will have an AKC sponsored list of where he can get a puppy right now!

The advertising component of this program can easily generate over a million dollars profit and the increased registrations ($15 base, $52 Gold), insurance sales, etc. can easily add another million. There is little doubt the AKC is going through with OBC.

The AKC is making a concession of sending the novice puppy buyers to the parent club website to look for a breeders list and some health information. When the buyer returns to the AKC website, the sellers listing will have two sections: first those who are members of the parent club and second those who are not.

We have to try to make sure that the puppy buyer is shown enough on the AKC seller listing to differentiate between the responsible breeder and the irresponsible, uninformed one. The easiest way is for mandatory breed specific health disclosures and mandatory disclosures of AKC and breed specific titles. The millers are not big on either of those items.

The AKC can very easily implement detailed info at little cost. Moreover, it will not affect their listing income, but it will help direct people to more responsible breeders. Just think how those little yellow energy efficient tags have affected the sale of water heaters and gas furnaces.

Unfortunately, the AKC does not want to require breed specific health information. If the AKC hears from enough people, they will be more willing to change their mind.

There is an online petition that will be sent to the AKC asking them to have mandatory disclosure. You can read the petition and sign it at www.petitiononline.com/akcobc/petition.html <http://www.petitiononline.com/akcobc/petition.html>

If you want more details about the AKC program and some additional details you can go to www.JackDean.ORG <http://www.jackdean.org/>

Many dog owners are concerned with novice buyers getting healthy puppies. We do not care if “they get the dog they deserve,” but we do care about young children who have a 2 year old dog drop dead or watch it slowly deteriorate from health problems the breeder did not even care about. We care about the dog winding up in rescue (or worse) because the breeder never told the buyer that the dog might not be the best breed for their family or their lifestyle.

It is important that we have the petition signed. If you want to do more, like personally contacting the AKC, you are free to do so. But one additional thing you can do, and that would help our dogs, is to forward this email to 10 of your friends.

Any help you want to give is very appreciated, particularly by our dogs.

LORHEL · #2 09-06-2004, 12:18 AM

Can I sign this without having a registered AKC dog? Makita has her CGC, but I don't have her listed by name, etc...

MontanaRott · #3 09-06-2004, 12:25 AM

Signed and forwarded.

Judi W · #4 09-06-2004, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LORHEL

Can I sign this without having a registered AKC dog? Makita has her CGC, but I don't have her listed by name, etc...

Absolutely! Please do. You are possibly one of those who might be using that site to look for a breeder! Every US resident should consider this petition.

Laura · #5 09-06-2004, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LORHEL

Can I sign this without having a registered AKC dog? Makita has her CGC, but I don't have her listed by name, etc...

Yes you can, that part of the form is optional.

debbiej · #6 09-06-2004, 01:07 AM

signed also. too often people think AKC=well bred dog.

Silvermarten · #7 09-06-2004, 02:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judi W

This is long, but I hope US residents will read and respond.

Ok , I'm one of those Legal Resident Aliens ( nope , not a joke ) . I can not vote here in the USA .
Would my online signature count ?

Thanks

Judi W · #8 09-06-2004, 04:31 AM

Since this is not a "vote" in the sense that it determines anything or requires citizenship, but is rather an attempt to influence, I would say certainly, go ahead and do so. You are a resident,

Silvermarten · #9 09-06-2004, 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judi W

Since this is not a "vote" in the sense that it determines anything or requires citizenship, but is rather an attempt to influence, I would say certainly, go ahead and do so. You are a resident,

Signed by the resident alien rotti owner

Patty1231 · #10 09-06-2004, 09:59 AM

Signed - thanks, Judi, for letting us know about this!

rottsnroses · #11 09-06-2004, 02:30 PM

As many of you know, AKC has proposed a new program entitled Online Breeder Classified. The message below provides a link to more information about the program and encourages fanciers to sign a petition asking AKC to require that health clearance information and more be provided to enable buyers to make informed decisions regarding the health and quality of the puppies that are listed for sale in this format.

Please take the time to familiarize yourself with this proposed program. The parent club delegates to the AKC will be meeting in the very near future to discuss and vote on this proposal.

Pamela Grant, President
American Rottweiler Club

Quote:

It has come to my attention that you may be interested in an online petition trying to have the AKC make changes to its OBC initiative.

I think we all understand that this program is going ahead because it will produce several million dollars of yearly income. The best anyone can hope for is to have the AKC make changes to the program which will differentiate the responsible breeder from the BYB and puppy miller. It would be very easy for the AKC to require mandatory breed specific health disclosures and detailed statements of AKC and breed specific titles for the parents and grandparents of the pups. These two areas often separate the miller from the responsible breeder. Such information is easily collected, placed in the individual listing and is objectively verifiable. More importantly, it should not hurt AKC revenue.

Even the most impetuous buyer would be impressed and use this data in making his selection. Remember what a large effect those little, yellow, energy efficiency tags have had on water heater and gas furnace sales.

I am on the Board of Directors of my breed club and my all breed club. I am trying to offer positive, easily made changes which will have a large effect.

The specific details are on my website at www.JackDean.org and the Petition is at www.petitiononline.com/akcobc/petition.html

Where I need your help is twofold. First, I would like you to sign the petition. Second, and far more importantly, I need your help in letting people know the facts and the existence of the petition. If you could distribute this email on any public internet lists you belong to, it would be most helpful. Particularly I would like to see it distributed to breed club members and delegates. If you would prefer I have attached a letter that Scott Wigginton, the author of the Petition, is distributing that might be better for people not so closely involved.

Since the AKC delegates’ meeting is in mid September, there is a sense of urgency about doing this.

Any consideration you can give this request is appreciated.

Take care,

Jack Dean

If you wish, you may use this letter that I had sent out to a few people.

The AKC is going to start its Online Breeder Classified (OBC) program shortly and many dog owners would like your help in trying to make the AKC change a part of the program.

OBC is the name that the AKC uses to describe letting sellers of an AKC registered litter with unsold puppies advertise on the AKC website. It will exclude only wholesalers and pet shops. It means the buyer will have an AKC sponsored list of where he can get a puppy right now!

The advertising component of this program can easily generate over a million dollars profit and the increased registrations ($15 base, $52 Gold), insurance sales, etc. can easily add another million. There is little doubt the AKC is going through with OBC.

The AKC is making a concession of sending the novice puppy buyers to the parent club website to look for a breeders list and some health information. When the buyer returns to the AKC website, the sellers listing will have two sections: first those who are members of the parent club and second those who are not.

We have to try to make sure that the puppy buyer is shown enough on the AKC seller listing to differentiate between the responsible breeder and the irresponsible, uninformed one. The easiest way is for mandatory breed specific health disclosures and mandatory disclosures of AKC and breed specific titles. The millers are not big on either of those items.

The AKC can very easily implement detailed info at little cost. Moreover, it will not affect their listing income, but it will help direct people to more responsible breeders. Just think how those little yellow energy efficient tags have affected the sale of water heaters and gas furnaces.

Unfortunately, the AKC does not want to require breed specific health information. If the AKC hears from enough people, they will be more willing to change their mind.

There is an online petition that will be sent to the AKC asking them to have mandatory disclosure. You can read the petition and sign it at www.petitiononline.com/akcobc/petition.html .

If you want more details about the AKC program and some additional details you can go to www.JackDean.org.

Many dog owners are concerned with novice buyers getting healthy puppies. We do not care if “they get the dog they deserve,” but we do care about young children who have a 2 year old dog drop dead or watch it slowly deteriorate from health problems the breeder did not even care about. We care about the dog winding up in rescue (or worse) because the breeder never told the buyer that the dog might not be the best breed for their family or their lifestyle.

It is important that we have the petition signed. If you want to do more, like personally contacting the AKC, you are free to do so. But one additional thing you can do, and that would help our dogs, is to forward this email to 10 of your friends.

Any help you want to give is very appreciated, particularly by our dogs.