COVID: New guidance on puppies leaving the breeder

[GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]

TLDR: breeders can now, under the current exceptional circumstances, deliver puppies to their new owners. They should have sent you plenty of video evidence of the puppy with its dam so that you can be assured that you not buying from a puppy farm.

More details:
The Kennel Club yesterday released new guidance for animal-related businesses. You can find it here.

It looks as if it was produced in consultation with DEFRA as it is linked to from this page (see under 'short-term emergency advice for breeders'), where it is stated that 'The Kennel Club and other animal welfare experts have worked with Defra to produce short-term emergency advice for breeders, to help protect the welfare of puppies already bred.'

There is also advice there about socialisation during lockdown and so on. I hope this cheers up those of you who were looking forward to adding a puppy to the household in the near future.

[GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]

Bump. This is relevant given the arguements on this board about getting new puppies during Covid.

[heatseeker14]

Bump.

[GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]

heatseeker, I'm glad someone has noticed it!

[MiniatureRed]

This is good to know. I've been flamed alive for saying we're getting our pup at the end of May on a facebook group! I shall be posting this there!

[Runbikeswim]

Phew!!
Miniature red are you getting a poodle?

[GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]

Happy to have been of service.

[BlueGheko]

Well those guideline say all puppies still need to be microchipped prior to leaving the breeder as per the law and vets aren't doing microchipping at the moment so not sure how breeders will get round that unless they have their own supply of chips but I personally wouldn't want a layperson inserting chips as if done incorrectly they can fall out or migrate.

[MiniatureRed]

@Runbikeswim yes. What gave me away.

[vanillandhoney]

I don't think this really changes anything. Puppies still need to be chipped as per the law and vets aren't doing non-emergency procedures at the moment.

So how will people get around that?

[threemilesupthreemilesdown]

"As a priority we must all be following government measures which is stay at home and save lives - so current advice is that prospective puppy buyers shouldn’t collect puppies at this time."

"However, in the middle of this global health pandemic, we are all required to follow a vital government instruction at this time as closely as we can – which is to stay at home and save lives."

"Where keeping puppies longer than originally planned is becoming a significant welfare concern for those who breed but aren’t considered as a ‘business’, then it is possible that this will be deemed a reasonable excuse to leave your house, with regard to the Covid-19 regulations."

"Likewise, other factors such as financial hardship, or mental health issues associated with keeping the puppies longer may also meet the legal threshold for leaving your home to transport the puppies."

I too don't think this changes anything, it's just grasping at straws.

[Runbikeswim]

@MiniatureRed - me too expecting him to be ready on the 5th May but he is apricot not red 😀

[BlueGheko]

Also I wouldnt be buying a puppy that hasn't had a clean bill of health from a vet, you can't tell if a puppy is healthy just by looking at it. And you won't be able to get insurance until it has had a vet check either as PP say a nothing has changed. Breeders running a business still have to hold onto their pups.

[GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]

I think the first link may have changed - I posted on the 8th April and the guidance the links now goes to was put up or last amended on the 9th. What I wanted to link to was this. It says
'Although it is recommended not to do so under that legislation and as general best practice, during the coronavirus pandemic because of travel restrictions, it is necessary to allow the breeder to take the puppy or kitten to their new home as collection by the purchaser is restricted. This is acceptable providing the animal is at least eight weeks of age and any viewing of them with their mother and litter mates can be achieved electronically. For the duration of the lockdown in these exceptional circumstances the breeder must ensure that when taking the puppy or kitten to a home address that journey times are minimised, preferably less than six hours, and that the handover can be achieved whilst maintaining social distancing.'

The BVA has also released a new briefing. They say:
'Vaccinations – we are now recommending that primary vaccinations and year 1 boosters in dogs and cats go ahead due to the increased risk of disease outbreak over a longer period of time, and annual leptospirosis vaccination due to the zoonotic risk.'

And regarding microchipping:
'Microchipping – we are recommending microchipping can be undertaken if the animal is already in the practice for an essential service.'
So in that case the puppy could have its first vaccs while still with the breeder and be chipped at the same time.

So, yes, it does look as if the breeder can get the puppy chipped and first vaccs done and then deliver it to the new owner.

[threemilesupthreemilesdown]

The BVA have received a serious amount of backlash on that decision. Practices operating with a skeleton staff will now be subject to an influx of routine procedures, in complete contravention of inessential travel and social distancing requirements, and told to deal with this while being 'prudent' about using up too much PPE or oxygen.

Between that and the KC guidance (who on earth are they to decide up to a 6 hour journey is essential and acceptable?!) this situation is farcical.

I really, really feel for anyone due to pick up a puppy at the moment, I know I would be absolutely gutted in the same situation, but nothing about it is essential, urgent or in any way compliant with current government regs.

[GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]

Practices operating with a skeleton staff will now be subject to an influx of routine procedures
Well, no: virtually everything is either 'suspend/delay' or 'to be assessed remotely in the first instance'. All that has really changed from the previous guidance is that primary vaccs, lepto vaccs (because of the zoonotic risk), rabbit vaccs and neutering, dispensing flea and worm treatments and (if the animal is already in for something else) microchipping have been added to the approved list, along with seizures, jaundice and pallor.

Most routine stuff (the vast majority of neutering, pulled nails, mid-year check-ups, checking out lumps and anal glands) is still off 'see the patient' the list.

My impression when the KC's guidance first came out was that it was hashed out with DEFRA. Certainly, there has been no outraged government announcement saying that the KC has got it calamitously wrong. Lockdown is likely to last, in various guises, for a good few months and it's just not feasible to keep puppies and kittens with their breeders all the way through. At some point it becomes a welfare issue, and this guidance seems reasonable in the circumstances.

[GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]

There's some gibberish in there.
*and glands) is still off the 'see the patient' part of the list.

[Whitepots]

OP, many thanks for this. I hadn't seen it and have just called our vet to confirm. They will call us next week to book our puppy in. While a minor concern in the scheme of things, I'm really relieved!