~
~ ~
The Four
Percent Solution
In attempting to make
its case to the fancy, who the AKC Board
cut out of the process prior to endorsing
PAWS, the AKC through Dr. Holt has made
the argument that:
. . . this definition
covers fewer than 4 percent of all
breeders who register litters with
the AKC.28
The AKC has no way of
determining fiom its registration statistics
how many breeders who registered puppy
litters also have bred cat litters.
Cat litter registration statistics are
not kept by the AKC. Since both the
25 sales exemption and the breeder exemption
include the total cat and dog salesllitters
of each person, AKC did not take into
consideration dog and cat breeders when
calculating the 4 percent figure.29
The AKC has no way of
determining from its registration statistics
how many breeders who register puppy
litters of AKC-recognized breeds also
have non AKC-recognized breeds registered
with other registry organizations.30
The United Kennel Club (UKC) recognizes
over 300 breeds with 250,000 registrations
annually.31 It is suspected
that AKC did not cross-check its database
with that of UKC.
The 4 percent figure expounded
by the AKC therefore is fatally flawed.
It carries no credibility. It has no
meaning.
Moreover the question
remains: What was the threshold number
of dog fanciers that AKC determined
they would sacrifice by endorsing PAWS?
Would AKC have supported PAWS if it
affected 5 percent of breeders? Is the
figure 10 percent? 15? 25?
Put another way, what
is the number of hobby breeders and
rescuers who AKC thinks is unworthy
of its protection? At what point has
AKC violated its mission to protect
its "principal constituency?"
~ ~ ~
28 Ibid.
29 Which is not surprising,
since AKC did not take into account
cat fanciers at all before worshipping
at the altar of PAWS.
30 AS Bill Fawcett has put
it: "Are those irresponsible breeders
worthy of over-regulation? Tell that
to the Boykin Spaniel fancier! . . .Obviously,
no breeders registered with FDSB, UKC,
or other canine registries were considered."
31 United Kennel Club website.
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