Amended to July 1, 2001
Also Applies to Foundation Stock Service
The regulations contained herein have been promulgated by the Board of Directors of the American Kennel Club under the provisions of Chapter 4 of the Rules Applying to Registration and Discipline for dog owners, breeders, dealers, pet stores and all persons or firms that sell, give away, or sell on consignment dogs that are registered or represented to be registrable with the American Kennel Club.
Unless an individual breeds or disposes of his dog, the private owner of one or two dogs is not required to keep any record other than the registration certificate issued to him by AKC.
1. General Practices
Each person covered by these regulations must follow such practices as, consistent with the number of dogs involved, will preclude any possibility of error in identification of any individual dog or doubt as to the parentage of any particular dog or litter.Thus, if more than one dog is shipped to some new owner or if a number of similar dogs are kept in a kennel or pet shop, a system must be used, such as marking, tagging, tattooing or microchipping each dog, which will preclude any possible error, and a record of the identifying information must be kept. If microchips are used as the primary means of identification, a scanner must be present at all times if there are more than 20 dogs over six months of age on the premises. Dogs sold at auction must permanently be identified with either a microchip or tattoo. Bitches in season must be so segregated from males that there can be no doubt as to the identity of the sire of any litter. Puppies from different litters must be so segregated, marked or identified that there can be no doubt as to the parents or age of a particular puppy, and the identifying information must be recorded.
2. Records
To provide a source of reference for registration or transfer applications which have been made or may later be made to The American Kennel Club, and to assure the accuracy of such applications, certain minimum written records must be maintained. When kept on a computer, a separate printed copy (hard copy) of all required records, apart from the computer or storage discs, must be available.
All required records must be made immediately when a dog is acquired and delivered, and at the time of mating, whelping or death. Records must be kept on forms devoted to that exclusive purpose and must be consecutive, accurate, up-to-date, and maintained for at least five (5) years after the dog has died, has been sold, or has been given away. AKC registration certificates and applications, while a source for records, are not in themselves considered records.
A. Records to be kept by owners and breeders.
1. The owner (and the lessee if a dog is leased) shall keep a record of each dog owned (or leased) which will show:
BreedIn addition, the owner (or lessee, if dog is leased at that time) shall keep the following breeding records:
Registered name and number (or litter number if not registered)
Sex, color and markings
Date of birth
Names and numbers of sire and dam
Name of breeder
Name and address of person from whom directly acquired
Date of acquisition
Date and duration of lease, if any, and when dog is sold, is given away, or dies:
Name and address of person to whom directly sold or delivered
Date sold or delivered or date of death
Date and type of registration papers given
2. Whenever dog is mated to another dog:
Date and place of mating3. and (if a female) when resulting litter is whelped:
Names of persons handling mating
Registered name and number of dog to which mated
Name and address of its owner
Date of whelpingB. Records to be kept by persons or firms who sell or give away dogs bred by others, including dealers, pet shops and persons acting as agents or brokers or selling on consignments:
Number of puppies whelped by sex and by color and markings
Litter registration number
Date of sale, gift or death of each puppy so described
Name and address of person acquiring each puppy so described
Date and type of papers given when puppy is sold or given away
Registered name and number of each puppy registered by breeder
For Each Unregistered Dog
Breed
Sex and color and markings
Date of birth
Litter number (when available)
Names and numbers of sire and dam
Name of breeder
For Each Registered Dog
Breed
Registered name
Registration number
And for All Dogs
Name and address of person from whom directly acquired
Data of acquisition
Name and address of person to whom directly sold or given
Date sold or delivered, or date of death
Date and type of papers given when sold or given away
3. Identifying Dogs at Time of Delivery
If properly completed AKC registration papers are not supplied with the dog when it is shipped or delivered to someone else, the person delivering or shipping the dog must furnish with the dog to the person acquiring it a bill of sale or other signed memorandum giving all of the identifying information listed below. A promise of later identification is not acceptable.
For a Dog Not Yet Individually Registered
Breed
Sex and color and markings
Date of birth
Litter number (when available)
Names and numbers of sire and dam
Name of breeder
Date sold or delivered
For a Registered Dog
Breed
Registered name
Registration number
Date sold or delivered
This identifying information must be supplied with the dog even though AKC papers are not yet available, and even to a person who takes the dog only for resale as an agent or on consignment, and the same information must be passed on by him when he disposes of it. (The only exception to this requirement is when there is a written agreement made between the parties when the dog is delivered specifying that registration papers are never to be given.)
4. Inspection
The rules provide that The American Kennel Club or its duly authorized representatives shall have the right to inspect the records required to be kept and the practices required to be followed by these regulations, and to examine any dog registered or to be registered with The American Kennel Club. Such examination may include saliva, urine, hair, blood and examination by a veterinarian or other tests or procedures at the discretion of The American Kennel Club.
The American Kennel Club will also refuse registration to any dog where conditions of these dogs and/or kennels do not meet the minimum standards, as set forth by The American Kennel Club. The American Kennel Club will also report these conditions to the appropriate governmental or humane agencies.
5. Frequently Used Sires
Every sire producing seven or more litters in his lifetime or producing more than three litters in the calendar year must be "AKC DNA certified."
6. Penalties
The rules provide that The American Kennel Club may refuse to register any dog or litter or to record the transfer of any dog for the sole reason that the application is not supported by the records required by these regulations.
The rules also provide that the Board of Directors of The American Kennel Club may suspend from all privileges of The American Kennel Club any person who fails to observe the above regulations.
Requirements for Completing Registration Forms
The system of registering individual dogs from registered litters is based on a separate certification to AKC from each person or firm through whose hands the dog passes, whether as owner, dealer, agent, on consignment, or otherwise, certifying that the dog delivered by him is the same one described in the application, and that the dog was delivered by him directly to a named person or firm on a specified date.
When the person who owns a litter at birth transfers ownership or possession of one of the unregistered dogs in the litter to some other person, he must complete steps 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 on the dog registration application form issued to him by AKC for the particular litter. These forms are invalid if signed in blank by the litter owner. He must enter the name of the person to whom he directly transfers ownership or possession and the date of transfer before signing the transfer certification. Even when requested to do so, he must never enter the name of anyone other than the person to whom he directly sells or delivers the dog. He must also enter the color, markings and sex of the individual dog on the face of the application.
When a dog changes hands more than once before it is individually registered, each person through whose hands the dog passes must sign a separate certification, completing Section A on a Supplemental Transfer Statement form (obtainable on request without charge from AKC) and attaching it to the dog registration application. These forms, too, are invalid if signed in blank or if Section A is not fully and accurately completed by the signer.
The owner who wishes to register the dog and have the registration certificate issued to him enters his choice of name on the face of the dog application. If he bought directly from the original owner of the litter, he then completes section 9 of the dog registration application. If he bought from anyone else he completes Section B on the final supplemental form on which Section A has been completed by the person from whom he directly obtained the dog, and submits both or all the forms, attached together, to AKC with the required fee.
Transfer of a registered dog. The owner named on American Kennel Club records and on the face of the registration certificate must complete the transfer application on the back of the certificate, entering the name of the person to whom he/she directly transfers ownership or possession, and the date of transfer, before he signs it. If the dog again changes hands before application is filed to record the change of ownership, each person through whose hands it passes must completeSection A on a separate Supplemental Transfer Statement form and attach it to the registration certificate. The final owner who wishes ownership to be recorded in his name completes Section B on the last of the supplemental transfer forms and submits the application to AKC with the required fee.
Note: No special forms are necessary for keeping the records, provided they meet all of the requirements enumerated in Sec. 2 of this pamphlet. The American Kennel Club, however, has prepared special blanks in book form for keeping these records: Dog Ownership and Breeding Records and Dealers Record of Transactions in Dogs.
Persons who buy and sell dogs and who also keep and breed dogs will need both types of records. The keeping of such records as are provided for in these AKC forms will be considered sufficient under these regulations.
