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Will properly house, feed, water and exercise all dogs under their care and arrange for appropriate Veterinary attention if and when required.

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Will agree without reservation that any Veterinary Surgeon performing an

operation on any of their dogs which alters the natural conformation of the

animal, may report such operation to The Kennel Club.

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Will agree that no healthy puppy will be culled. Puppies which may not

Conform to the Breed Standard should be placed in suitable homes.

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Will abide by all aspects of Animal Welfare Act.

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Will not create demand for, nor supply puppies that have been docked illegally.

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Will agree not to breed from a dog or bitch which could be in any way harmful to the dog or breed.

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Will not allow any of their dogs to roam at large or to cause nuisance to neighbours or those carrying out official duties.

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Will ensure that their dogs wear properly tagged collars and will be kept leashed or under effective control when away from home.

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Will clean up after their dogs in public places or anywhere their dogs are being exhibited.

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Will only sell dogs where there is a reasonable expectation of a happy and healthy life and will help with the re-homing of a dog if the initial circumstances change.

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Will supply written details of all dietary requirements and give guidance concerning responsible ownership when placing dogs in a new home.

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Will ensure that all relevant Kennel Club documents are provided to the new owner when selling or transferring a dog and will agree in writing to forward any relevant documents at the earliest opportunity, if not immediately available.

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Will not sell any dog to commercial dog wholesalers, retail pet dealers or directly or indirectly allow dogs to be given as a prize or donation in a competition of any kind. Will not sell by sale or auction Kennel Club registration certificates as standalone items (not accompanying any dog).

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Will not knowingly misrepresent the characteristics of the breed, nor falsely advertise dogs, not mislead any person regarding the health or quality of a dog.

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Breach of these provisions may result in expulsion from club membership and/or disciplinary action by The Kennel Club and/or reporting to the relevant authorities for legal action, as appropriate.

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In accordance with their letter dated 22nd January 2009, The Kennel Club has approved the retention of West Mercia Beagle Club Code of Conduct as additional clauses to the General Code of Ethics Paragraphs 16 to 24 below therefore restate the West Mercia Beagle Code of Conduct for Breeders.

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All breeding should take place for the improvement of the breed and not for personal gain.

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Before breeding, Breeders must ensure that they have adequate facilities and time to devote to the care and rearing puppies, Stud services should not be provided unless the owner is satisfied that the owner of the dam has such facilities.

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Nervous or aggressive stock should not be used for breeding, also any dogs or bitches which has any physical defect which could be passed on to their offspring.

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Dogs and bitches that are not registered at The Kennel Club should be avoided however if unregistered stock is used, the breeder should inform any prospective owner that he or she will be unable to register their puppy at The Kennel Club. The breeder should also inform the prospective owner of any physical or temperamental defect which could affect the puppy in later life.

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Bitches should not be allowed to have more than 4 litters and in any case only careful thought has been given to the welfare of the bitch. No bitch should be mated before the age of 18 months and never after 8 years. With at least a minimum of 12 months between litters.

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Before breeding breeders should ensure that there are goods homes available for the puppies. Prospective owners should be well screened for suitability and should be advised of temperament and characteristics of the Beagle. If suitable, when the puppy is taken the new owner should be given the registration certificate, a pedigree and a diet sheet that details feeding (from puppy to adult stage) exercising, worming, inoculations and training. A breeder should also try to provide details of breed clubs that a new owner can join. In any case a puppy should not leave the breeder until it has reached the age of 8 weeks.

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A puppy should never be sold to a breeding establishment or for experimental purposes, for resale in pet shops or dealers in dogs. Puppies cannot be exported unless the guidelines of DEFRA have been followed and then only to Countries where puppies are protected by anti-cruelty laws. If there is any doubt, contract DEFRA.

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If a breeder has sold a puppy to a home which has difficulty in coping with the puppy, the breeder should offer any help or advice to overcome the problem. If this fails, the breeder should be prepared to take the puppy back off the owners and make every effort in finding the puppy a new home which is more suitable. Should the breeder be unable to take back the puppy Beagle Welfare should be informed, but the breeder should still make every effort to help Beagle Welfare to find a suitable home for the puppy.

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The breeder should try to keep in contact with the owners of dogs that he or she has bred. A new owner of a Beagle should be made to feel that he or she can contact the breeder at any time to discuss any aspect of the dogs wellbeing. Potential problems could then be spotted at an early stage and dealt with accordingly.

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A breeder should also be available to offer advice on stud dogs to use and breeding if the new owners have plans to breed from their dog.

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All Club Members to abide by the ABS requirements and recommendations with regard to health testing.