GOVERNMENT PLAN AGAINST MALAFID DOG TRADE:
Registration mandatory for every breeder, even with one litter.

From the summer of 2021, anyone who breeds a litter of dogs is required to apply for a registration number at the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). It does not matter whether someone breeds several litters per year or only one. This is stated in a draft General Administrative Order (AMvB) of which the internet consultation (the period in which everyone can comment) has recently been completed.See here

The Order in Council entitled “Animal Keepers Decree and the Veterinary Medicine Decree in connection with improving the identification and registration of dogs and the registration of chippers” is intended to combat the illegal wholesale trade in dogs and puppies . No consent from the Senate or the House of Representatives is required for an order in council.

Marktplaats
The House of Representatives has been concerned for some time about the rogue trade, in which dogs that are too young, not or incompletely vaccinated (from Eastern Europe but also from elsewhere) are imported by rogue traders and resold via popular trading sites such as Marktplaats. Animal welfare and animal health are subordinate to this. But public health can also be endangered. In some countries, rabies has not yet been eradicated, but other zoonoses can also cross the border unseen.

Restrict rogue trade
Minister Schouten of LNV now wants to limit the many gaps in the monitoring and recording by making the registration of dogs stricter. It may not be made impossible for rogue trade - there will be people who will try it - but in any case it will be a lot more difficult. In order for the measures to be effective, they also apply to bona fide breeders, even if they are someone who only breeds one litter in their entire life. There is a clear difference between this new registration number and the UBN number that a professional breeder must now have and to which all kinds of conditions are attached.

If there are any changes to these regulations, you will hear from us immediately.
(Source: DogZine.eu)

REACTION RVB:

POSITION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ADDITIONAL MEASURE I&R

The Raad van Beheer is of course in favor of measures that effectively combat malicious breeding and trade. We do see a tendency that the large group of breeders who adhere to the rules, including the 6,000 breeders of pedigree dogs, are increasingly being imposed because a small group of breeders or traders do not comply with these rules. We have spoken out strongly against measures that in turn result in additional costs or administrative burdens for our breeders. The breeders of pedigree dogs and all data are already registered and completely transparent and traceable.

In its response to the consultation to the government last August, the Board of Directors indicated the following points:
→ Chippers of the Board of Directors fall under professional chippers and are registered under the Board of Directors. The government has adopted this point. Our chippers are the most experienced dog chippers in the Netherlands with the most chip handling and with the most dog breeds.

→ Our Database of Dogs shows that breeders of pedigree dogs properly register their puppies. The omission of registration thus clearly occurs with breeders of non-pedigree dogs. Again general rules are imposed here because a small group does not follow the rules.

→ Fraud with chips and passports does not occur in the registration by the Raad van Beheer. We have a closed system with our own number series 52814000, in which fraud has never occurred with chips or chip numbers. Again general rules are imposed here because a small group does not follow the rules.

→ The new rule is particularly stressful for a breeder who breeds a litter once. This group is relatively large in numbers. It is important to keep this group of breeders, because it helps to ensure bona fide supply of pedigree dogs - something the government wants to encourage.

→ This change in I&R creates an extra action by our chippers. They will have to spend extra time educating the breeder. This creates an extra burden for our chippers. Good and targeted information by the government is important here.

→ The government indicated that the registration by the breeder for a registration number takes only 15 minutes and that the costs are estimated at approximately € 19. Again, this creates additional barriers for the hobby breeder who breeds a litter once. This is not in line with the general interest of stimulating diverse and responsibly bred bona fide supply.

The Raad van Beheer remains committed to the interests of breeders of pedigree dogs. We would like to see the enforcement of the existing regulations improved and that efforts are made to counter the import of (malicious) trade and on stimulating bona fide supply through less regulation for responsible hobby breeders. The (malicious) trade has increased enormously in the past year and is now estimated at more than 50 to 70 percent of the total supply.

That enforcement is not always going well, is evident from the attached Animals Today article about the NVWA

Read the entire current Raadar here

To all breeders of pedigree dogs

Dear Sir or Madam,

In recent years, the Board of Directors has worked hard on the new IT4Dogs together with its suppliers. The start is now close.

The new IT4Dogs is scheduled to go live on Tuesday, December 1, 2020.

Migration period November 23, 2020 – December 1, 2020

Before going live on December 1, there will be a migration period from Monday, November 23. During this migration period, the old Darwin system will be shut down and all data will be converted to the new IT4Dogs system.

In the period from November 23 to December 1. no services are handled by the agency. So no processing of breeding and birth declarations, no import processing of dogs, no DNA profiles, no results of health tests, etc. The chippers do simply schedule appointments with the breeders during this period for chipping the litters and taking DNA.

The breeders can therefore not submit online breeding and birth declarations in the period between November 23 and December 1. Paper declarations will only be processed after December 1. After the migration period, i.e. from 1 December, the breeders can submit their breeding and birth declarations directly online via the new Mijn-Board.

We do not expect service delivery to be significantly delayed due to the migration period. The pedigree issue, the importation of health examinations, etc. will be processed as soon as possible after the migration period.

New accounts for breeders from December 1

New accounts will be created for all breeders who now have an account on the website. In the new accounts, all data from the current system is taken over, with the exception of the invoices. We advise breeders who need these invoices for their administration (business, tax, etc.) to download them from their current online account before going live.

Administration costs declaration 'too late'

The migration period ensures that breeders cannot make a breeding and birth declaration during that period. It also delays the first processing of declarations by the office. That is why we are flexible with the current rules for the return periods. The breeding declarations and birth declarations that are submitted by the breeders until January 1, 2021 and that according to the regulations would be 'too late', will be processed without the usual extra administration costs.

Addition to rule Basic Regulations Wellbeing Health BWG-inbred half brother

From 1 December 2020, the rule of the Basic Regulations Welfare & Health (BWG) about inbred half brother in operation. This rule indicates that from December 1, 2020, it is prohibited to breed with a half-brother of the intended mother dog. This means that from 1 December 2020, if the breeding declaration does not comply with this BWG rule, no pedigrees will be issued for the puppies.

KR Article VIII.2 (as of December 1, 2020)
A bitch may not be covered by her grandfather, her father, her brother, her half-brother, her son or her grandson.

Norms Matrix

The purpose of the standards matrix is ​​to help breeders with the health and welfare requirements that apply to their breed. The Raad van Beheer has rules for breeding pedigree dogs. These rules are an addition to the general rules of the government. These rules from the Basic Regulations Welfare & Health (BWG) apply to all breeds. The norm matrix is ​​an addition to these generally applicable rules and is tailored to each variety.

A large number of breed clubs have indicated which health tests are important for their breed. These varieties and their studies have been included in the standards matrix after checking. In addition to health examinations, there are sometimes stricter requirements for the welfare of the parent dogs or rules to further limit inbreeding and kinship.

Norms matrix per variety - start with 100 varieties

We start with the launch of IT4Dogs with more than a hundred breeds / varieties in the norm matrix. The rules for these breeds have been coordinated with the breed clubs and built into IT4Dogs. The other varieties will follow in the next updates of the standards matrix in 2021.

Breeds that do not yet have a completed norm matrix immediately at the launch of IT4Dogs can already benefit from the administration of health examinations. For years it was only possible to register HD, ED, CD, eyes and (a little later) also patellar luxation. Now the many (breed-specific) DNA tests are added, but also the aforementioned heart examination, back abnormalities, OCD, and so on.

More information about the standards matrix, an overview ofthe 100 breeds and the applicable standards per breed can be found on www.houdtvanhonden.nl/Normenmatrix

Check standards matrix from 15 January 2021

We do not immediately check for the norm matrix from the start on December 1, 2020. This gives breeders the opportunity to do research or tests and add the results to the system.

We will check the breeding declarations with a breeding date from 15 January 2021 for the breeds that have been established and issue the pedigrees with the statement 'meets / does not comply'. It is not possible to adjust pedigrees later, even if the combination would meet the standards.

Note: The same applies to all breeds: not meeting the BWG rules inbreeding means no pedigrees!

Matrix of standards and disciplinary law

A new disciplinary law has also been in force since 1 July 2020. It states that violation of the VFR is prohibited for breeders affiliated with the breed club. With the introduction of the standards matrix, it is only possible to partially check whether (part of) the VFR is met. Not all varieties and not all parts of a VFR are included in the standards matrix from the start. It is clear, however, that failing to meet the standards matrix also does not comply with the VFR.

The disciplinary control from the Raad van Beheer will, however, only start actively if all actively bred varieties in the Netherlands have been regulated in the norm matrix. This means that until that time, only violations that are reported to the Board of Directors will be submitted to the disciplinary committee.

The violations of the rules of the BWG are, as usual, submitted to the disciplinary committee by the Board of Directors.

New Style Family Tree

After many years, the Dutch family tree has been given a new and more convenient look that matches the house style of the Raad van Beheer. It will be given a clearer layout (landscape) and will no longer be laminated, but printed on special Nevertear paper (tear-resistant and water-resistant).

On the new pedigree, a green tick or a red cross indicates that a dog does or does not meet the health requirements in the standards matrix. A similar format is used for dogs that are included in the Appendix or the Provisional Register (VR).

Results of health tests and titles are no longer displayed on the family tree, but in a separate document attached to the family tree. This document is editable and you can download it yourself. It can be downloaded from the profile page of the dog in question in the new system. This contains the results of all dogs (including the ancestors). In this way it is possible to display and view many more results of a dog. There was hardly any room for that in the old family tree.

For more information about the pedigree and the entries see www.houdtvanhonden.nl/Normenmatrix</ a>

Import requests: faster and preferably after December 1, 2020

The procedure for registering import dogs changes, so that the application and processing is faster than in the old system. The big difference is that the pedigree of the import dog no longer needs to be sent. In the new system, a legible copy/photo of the foreign family tree can be uploaded with the application. The field service employee then checks the family tree on location and stamps it during the visit.

We request owners and breeders who intend to import dogs to wait with the application for registration in the NHSB until immediately after December 1. The application can then be made via the new system and will probably be processed faster than an application that is submitted in the meantime in the current system.

Cover and birth declarations online instead of on paper

One of the advantages of the new system is that from now on all breeding and birth declarations can be made digitally. So also all declarations of permitted outcross and variety crossings. If you, as a breeder, have made a paper breeding declaration in the current system, you can simply do the corresponding birth declaration digitally in the new system. It's that easy.

Although it is still possible to register stud and birth on paper, we request breeders to do everything online. That will take some getting used to for some breeders. Ultimately, this ensures a better, more efficient and faster registration with fewer errors. In addition, you can also add all the investigations of your dogs, check the standards matrix and you will receive a notification if you would violate the BWG rules. So there is no longer any reason not to use IT4Dogs.

Double cover / double cover with 2 males

A double cover or double cover occurs when a bitch is covered by two different males during her heat. She may also be inseminated with semen from two different males. The possibility to do this has already been approved by the GA and regulated in the KR. From 1 December 2020 it is therefore possible to indicate a 2^de male.

Additional costs apply, for example in connection with additional DNA checks.

KR III.21 (as of 1 December 2020)
The owner of a bitch may state in the breeding declaration referred to in paragraph 1 that his bitch has been covered by one extra male. The information mentioned in paragraph 2 must be stated for this second male.

Timeline

• From now until December 1, 2020

Import of dogs: advice to owners to wait if possible with the import requests for a dog until IT4Dogs goes live. So if registration of the import dog is not necessary in the short term, then preferably from 1 December via IT4Dogs.

• From now until Monday 23 November 2020

Bureau Raad van Beheer: Latest adjustments and system testing by agency and supplier VX Company.

• Sunday, November 22, 2020 until 11:59 pm

Cover and birth declaration breeders: last option to enter stud and birth declarations online by breeders until 11:59 pm on Sunday night. Breeders can no longer report online from 00.00 on Monday.

• Monday evening 23 November 2020

HD/ED rating panel: Latest panel ratings HD/ED. These are still being collected and processed. No HD/ED assessments will be made on Monday, November 30. These will start again on Monday 7 December

• Monday, November 23, 2020

Bureau Raad van Beheer / VX Company: Old system is shut down. Migration starts. The data is extracted from the old system. The data is then read into the new system. Samples are used to check whether the data has ended up in the right place in the new system. The links with the various applications are also checked. All data is checked in the applications.

• December 1, 2020 IT4Dogs goes live

Breeders: New accounts will be created for all breeders who now have an account on the website. They can set a new password for the account via the 'forgot password' button. After setting up the new account, the breeders can directly enter online breeding and birth declarations into the new system.
Dog owners: Any owner of a pedigree dog can request an account for the new system to view the details of their dog.
Breeders / owners: All requests for services from the Raad van Beheer will be processed through IT4Dogs from December 1, 2020 onwards.

• January 15, 2021

Check norm matrix for 100 breeds becomes active
Breeders: For matings with a breeding date from 15 January 2021, the norms come into effect for these 100 breeds.

Report form for tips & complaints & wishes

We are very proud of the new system. Certainly in the initial period it will take some getting used to for both users and the employees of the office and we will run into problems. This is inevitable with a new IT system of this size and complexity.
We also realize that we are not ready yet. Applications still need to be developed further and there will certainly be things that can be done better, more clearly or more efficiently. We will continue to work on this in the coming period.

You can help us with that. If you have any tips, complaints or wishes, please let us know. We will have a special report form on our website for this from 1 December.

More information about IT4Dogs can be found at www.houdtvanhonden.nl/IT4Dogs

More information about the norms matrix can be found at www.houdtvanhonden.nl/normsmatrix

We thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation and hope that you will enjoy using IT4Dogs from December 1st.

Sincerely, Rony Doedijns

Director

Raad van Beheer – love dogs