Lawrence Jayhawk Kennel Club, Inc.
Code of Ethics Concerning Raising and Selling Purebred Dogs

Breeding:

  1. Each litter must be conscientiously planned based on a consideration of the parents’ temperaments and qualities in relation to the breed’s official American Kennel Club (AKC) standard or other national breed standard. Before deciding to produce a litter, the proper placement of puppies not to be kept by the breeder will be considered.

  2. Only those adults that are of sound temperament and free from defects common to their breed (such as hereditary crypotorchidism, blindness, deafness, hip dysplasia, epilepsy, etc.) will be used for breeding.

  3. Only healthy, mature bitches (preferably at least one year old and after their first season) will be bred, and litters must be properly spaced. Purchasers of puppies and/or adults will be urged to spay or neuter those animals that for any reason should not be used for breeding. Purchasers will also be urged to properly safeguard unspayed bitches from unplanned matings.

Health:

  1. All stock must be kept under sanitary conditions and given health protection through worming and inoculations.

Registration:

  1. Breeding stock must be registered with the AKC or other national breed registry and accurate records kept of matings and pedigrees.

Sales:

  1. Puppies or adults must not be consigned or sold to pet shops, other commercial dealers, or laboratories. A breeder will not act as an agent for any of the above.

  2. Every reasonable attempt will be made to sell, give, consign, permit stud service, and lease studs/bitches only to individuals who give satisfactory evidence that they will give proper care and attention in accordance with this Code of Ethics. The novice owner will be give the benefit of the breeder’s advice and experience.

  3. All stock leaving the breeder’s possession will be at least eight weeks old (as a general rule). The buyer will be provided with written details of appropriate feeding, general care, worming, and inoculations against distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, corona, rabies, etc., and at least a three-generation pedigree. The purchaser will also be advised to seek a veterinary examination at the earliest possible date. Written agreements must be signed by all parties for all sales and other transactions, and the forms necessary for registration must be completed at the time of the transaction. [Note: under AKC rules (Chapter 3, Section 6), all such forms must be completed and supplied to all parties to transactions, unless they have agreed otherwise in written, signed agreements.]

  4. All advertising must be factual. It will not be worded so as to attract undesirable buyers, or to encourage raising purebred dogs as an easy-money scheme.

  5. Purebred dogs must not be knowingly supplied for raffles, give-away prizes, or other such projects.

Price:

  1. By setting a price determined by the cost of producing, maintaining, and placing sound, healthy puppies, the value of the breed and the breeder’s stock will be upheld. Adults and puppies must be give first class care and therefore cannot be sold at an unreasonably low price.

When confronted by a situation not covered by this Code of Ethics, breeders will conduct themselves as they would like to be treated under similar circumstances.