Ethical Guidelines of the Dalmatian Club of South Africa

Recommended practices for owners, exhibitors and Breeders of Dalmatians who are members of the Dalmatian Club.

These guidelines are presented with the realisation that ethics cannot be legislated, and that most individuals desire and intend to do what is right.

The purpose of these guidelines, therefore, is to set forth principles of practice the Dalmatian Club would have it's members adhere to.

The Principles set forth are guidelines, not rules or laws, therefore they carry no sanctions other than those dictates of one's individual conscience as he strives to promote and protect the Dalmatian breed.

 Practices :

In keeping with my membership of the Dalmatian Club and my dedication to promote and protect the breed, I pledge to adhere to the following practices.

1. To become educated in the fundamentals of owning, breeding and exhibiting dogs
2. To understand the basic laws of genetics, the standard of the breed, and the difference between the correct and the incorrect, before attempting to breed.
3. To ensure that the finance, facilities and time are available to properly care for, and rear, any litter I plan.
4. Except in exceptional cases, never to breed from a bitch under the age of 18 months or over 7 years of age, and not to have more than one litter a year from one bitch.
5. To ensure that my bitches are speyed, or are adequately housed whilst in season.
6. To never breed from an animal which has a patch, blue eye/(s), lemon markings, tri-colour markings, is bi-laterally deaf, or which has any other hereditary defect which can affect it's general health or well being.
7. To test all litters to the best of my ability, preferably by BAER testing, for deafness, and humanely put to sleep any bi-laterally deaf puppies.
8. To ensure, to the best of my ability that any stud dog that I own is not used indiscriminately or on inferior quality bitches, or by any commercially orientated breeders.
9. To educate the owners of any bitch, on which my stud dog is used, as to the principles, problems and pitfalls of breeding.
10. To register all surviving puppies I breed with the Kennel Union of Southern Africa and to keep accurate records of all matings, litters and pedigrees.
11. To add the restriction  "Progeny ineligible for registration" to the application for registration of any puppy who has a patch, blue eye/s, tri-colour or lemon markings.
12. To have all puppies innoculated and checked by a qualified, practising veterinarian, before they are sold.
13. To ensure that buyers have the physical facilities to care for any dog that I sell.
14. To follow good business practices and ethics in breeding and selling contracts, which shall include making the buyer of any dog which has a restricted registration, or whose papers I intend to withold, well aware of this fact. Written agreements are encouraged.
15. To supply guidelines and advice for the care and feeding of puppies I sell.
16. To ensure that puppies or adults are never knowingly sold or consigned to pet shops, commercial dealers or indiscriminate breeding establishments. And to not knowingly supply dogs for raffles or prizes.
17. To ensure that all advertising is factual and not misleading, never to engage in malicious criticism, and to separate fact from fiction, before repeating comments heard to others.
18. To adhere to the rules and regulations of the Kennel Union of Southern Africa whilst exhibiting, to practice the principles of good sportsmanship, and to consider competitors as a challenge, not a threat.
19. To ensure that all dogs in my care are provided adequate food, shelter and veterinary care which shall include annual innoculations.
20. To approach the committee of the Dalmatian Club, if ar any time I require assistance in adhering tothe above.
21. To always ensure that my actions are directed towards the best interests of the Dalmatian breed and the Dalmatian Club.

These ethical guidelines were approved by the committee of the Dalmatian Club in March 1987. Amended June 2000 to include BAER testing and changes to KUSA rules.

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