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Investigation reveals dog pedigree certificate fraud

From right, Canine Hip Dysplasia Association director Chen Mei-mei, Environmental and Animal Society of Taiwan director Chen Yu-min, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Hsiao Bi-khim and DPP Legislator Tien Chiu-chin yesterday speak at a press conference warning of widespread pedigree certificate fraud. PHOTO: WANG MIN-WEI, TAIPEI TIMES

Undercover investigations conducted by an animal rights organization showed that many "pedigree dog" owners in the country have been scammed.

How much is that doggie in the window?

It all depends on whether it comes with a pedigree certificate, the the Environment and Animal Society of Taiwan (EAST) said. Posing as amateur dog breeders, the group said it had gathered evidence of widespread pedigree certificate fraud.

"I don't have a single dog, nor do I run a kennel, yet I managed to obtain these two pedigree certificates," EAST director Chen Yu-min (陳玉敏), who took part in the investigation, told a press conference yesterday.

The Canine Hip Dysplasia Association (CHDA), a pet owners' association, provided some examples of humorous inconsistencies arising from the indiscriminate issuing of fake certificates.

Nini the Maltese has two mothers and two fathers -- one pair for each of the two certificates the owner received. Nana and Lightbulb, both Pyrenean Mountain Dogs, have the same mother, but they were born a month apart.

EAST said that three registries, including the Hsinchu Dog Association, the China Kennel Club and the Taiwan Kennel Association, were willing to issue pedigree certificates for a dog, sight unseen.

"We did not have time to conclude our investigations before the story surfaced in the media and now other associations are on their guard," Chen said.

"Pedigrees exist so breeders can avoid inbreeding and make sure genetic defects do not get passed on," she said. "What those fake certificates are covering up is the appallingly poor practices of the dog-breeding industry in Taiwan."

Chen Mei-mei's (陳美梅) Golden Retriever was four months old when he started falling over.

"I felt terrible for him. It hurt his hip joints to walk," she said.

Over the years, Chen Mei-mei has spent more than NT$100,000 on her dog's rehabilitation, including full hip joint replacement therapies for both joints.

"When I found his pedigree certificate in a drawer I was clearing out, I threw it away. It was a useless piece of paper," she said.

She formed the CHDA for pet owners who discover that their purebred dogs have hip joint issues.

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said that the Animal Protection Law (動物保護法) should be commended for uncovering this problem.

"Both pet owners and animals are wronged by this practice," Hsiao said, "the Council of Agriculture needs to take care of this problem."

However, Council of Agriculture Livestock Administration Division chief Huang Ying-hao (黃英豪) said the problem was one of consumer-rights problem and not in the remit of the council.

"This is not news," said a veteran dog breeder who declined to be named.

"The problem with fake pedigrees has been clear to everyone in the dog-breeding industry for decades."

The breeder said she destroyed the pedigree certificates for her dogs when they die, even though they can be sold to unscrupulous accrediting associations.

The kennel associations in other countries are self-regulating, she said, but fat profits have proven too tempting for associations here. "They can make NT$500 for issuing a piece of paper," she said.
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