The Kennel Club is in the process of planning a meeting with German Shepherd Breed Clubs to discuss the future development of the breed, how to address soundness issues and current Kennel Club initiatives into breed health. All clubs that wish to take part in this process and be considered for Challenge Certificates should sign the Undertaking by the end of March deadline.

Fourteen of the 30 German Shepherd Breed Clubs have already signed and returned the undertaking to the Kennel Club ahead of the 31st March 2010 deadline.

The Kennel Club continues to be dismayed by the tactics of a vocal minority in the breed who, rather than seizing this opportunity for the benefit of the breed, choose to bolster their own interests by suggesting that the Kennel Club’s motives are anything other than for the welfare of the breed. To suggest that an organisation that is the single largest contributor to research into canine health in the UK does not have the health of the dog at its heart is nonsensical.

The Kennel Club is also disturbed to note that one club that has signed the Undertaking has decided to cancel its scheduled show this year as it fears that those opposed to signing the Undertaking will disrupt its show to the detriment of the breed.

There has been unhelpful speculation that club members who vote against their club signing the Undertaking will in some way be prevented from entering shows or taking part in training activities. Again, the Kennel Club has made it clear in its previous statements that this is not the case.

Similarly, there has been a great deal of speculation about Clause 9 of the Undertaking with some choosing to attach sinister connotations and imply that the Kennel Club in some way is attempting to ‘ban’ SV/WUSV events. The Kennel Club has made it clear that no such issue exists. The Kennel Club has worked with the GSD community to enable the annual British Sieger Show to everyone’s satisfaction. Clubs should work with their UK governing body to gain its support for the organising of any such events.