Putting Our Trust In The Future
By Julien Barney (2005), Chairman of the British & Irish Dog Breeds Preservation Trust
On the cover of the 2003 Christmas issue of Country Life, a Lakeland Terrier was featured, with the headline ‘Who Will Save This British Dog?’ Around the same time the Kennel Club sent out a questionnaire to 28 breed clubs identified as having fewer than 300 registrations a year. These two actions were the catalyst for the formation of the Trust. This sparked a lot of interest from people wanting to do something for all the listed breeds affected. Pamela Cross-Stern, who was a great support in the early days and I decided to see whether there was more than the normal hardcore enthusiasts prepared to do something. With the agreement of the National Terrier Club (Terriers being the hardest hit) we manned a stand at its April show to ascertain interest. This led to an open meeting being held in late May where we had representation from the Kennel Club, the canine press and around 50 people from various breeds. The outcome of that first meeting was a working group being asked to formulate a set of aims and objectives and also how the Trust should function. The working group came back to the next open meeting in August which resulted in the official formation of the Trust, with an executive committee being elected. We discovered that people from all the relevant breeds are interested in working together for a common purpose and not just for themselves, and it was also very clear to us that the Trust would not be a dog club or canine society in the usually expected sense. The Trust is far more fundamental; it will be about ensuring that all the breeds and others that may become in need of support are preserved for future generations to enjoy. We are very keen to educate potential owners and the public on the positive aspects of our native breeds. By encouraging the responsible ownership of one of these vulnerable breeds we hope to ensure a secure future for them.
At Discover Dogs in November people were shocked when made aware of the list of breeds affected. A vet we spoke to had no idea about the plight of these breeds, but now will recommend these instead of the predictably popular breeds. What was also heartening from our first experience of meeting the public was that all of us who spent time talking to people came away with the feeling that this was a fantastic way to get our message across. What of the breeds themselves? It has transpired that each breed has a slightly different issue(s), be it health, popularity or getting the breed to be shown more actively. Some owner/breeders and clubs are keen to receive more publicity whilst others are happy to remain on an even keel.Some simple research on registrations showed over a four decade period some breeds have remained constant in terms of numbers: Curly-Coated Retrievers, Field Spaniels, Kerry Blue Terriers being examples. A number of others have even increased in popularity e.g. English Toy Terriers, Soft-Coated Wheaten Terriers, Irish Terriers and Gordon Setters. Unfortunately others have declined dramatically particularly Cardigan Corgis, Bloodhounds, Dandie Dinmont Terriers, Sealyham Terriers, Skye Terriers and Smooth Fox Terriers, showing a decrease in excess of 50 per cent. One thing not previously considered was the fact that this is not confined to the UK and Ireland. The effects are far more global. Correspondence from overseas with regard to the work of the Trust has been received from people asking how they can get involved. One such example is a gentleman from Australia who owns Lakeland Terriers. He is extremely worried about their plight in his homeland, as the gene pool is getting smaller and they need to import stock, but are finding it increasingly more difficult to locate new lines to bring in that they don’t already have. The executive committee of the Trust and the Kennel Club are acutely aware that substantial progress will take time and must not be rushed into. Careful thought and sensitivity has to be put into how we, the Trust, the Kennel Club and breed clubs and breeders approach this. It must be done holistically, as everyone has their part to play in achieving the long-term preservation of our breeds.
The first step along this road will be a symposium in 2005 to discuss with clubs and breeders and other interested parties what they feel should be done for their respective breeds. Clearly apparent from the results of the Kennel Club survey there needs to be further investigation and fact finding to understand the problems and issues. We will be writing to each of the clubs with further details. As part of the symposium the Kennel Club will be invited to take part in a feedback session and also given an opportunity to respond to questions from breeders and breed clubs. It was agreed at the August open meeting that we would work towards charity status by 2006 and this will mean meeting certain criteria laid down by the Charities Commission. We shall have a presence at Crufts in March within the Discover Dogs area to build on November’s success with the public.As the year progresses, the Trust will also attend a number of events, such as country fairs and game fairs to gain further contact with the public and raise awareness of these breeds. The Trust will also continue to work with the Kennel Club with John Richardson and I on the Vulnerable Native Breeds Group.
Inevitably it will be a long term development bringing these breeds to a level of prominence, and will require support from everyone interested in the future of these breeds.