Media highlight Irish setter as a sick animal

[Henk ten Klooster]

The image of the Irish setter got another big blow in Dutch media this week because a breeder was fined to pay 6000 euro for selling and subsequently denying primary epilepsy in a dog. Nearly all media, from national television to dailies and social media focused on this. Last year it was only television, now the impact is way broader. What do you think, is there a way to get out of this misery? And how?

http://www.eenvandaag.nl/binnenland/42311/bom_onder_fokbeleid_

[Ulvi Mannama]

Thank you for publishing this Astrid. I got important information for me. A little bit clarity.

[Margaret Sierakowski]

Henk, epilepsy is quite rare but not unknown in IRWS, probably because they go back to the working reds in whom epilepsy is also very rare - in fact I havent been able to find any working /FT red Irish Setters around at the moment in the UK or Ireland who are known to have epilepsy.

[Henk ten Klooster]

Thanks for your answer, Margaret!

[Henk ten Klooster]

Thanks all contributors. I want to close the debate in say four hours from now. So there's time to answer unanswered questions or your conclusions, but keep playing the ball.

Do you have ideas to come out of this misery for the Irish setter and how?, was the question of this topic. There were quite a few ideas and it was in my eyes Susan Stones contribution exactly telling what is needed first: an ability to see, to analyse, to learn and to accept. During this topic it became clear that some contributors need more time for that. 

As well this topic was launched because the first verdict can have huge effects on breeding purebreds. This was the ball to play, not persons. If Irish setter fanciers for the sake of the future of this great breed find answers to battle this with healthy answers for a healthy future it could prevent the end of breeding purebreds, predicted in a lot of forums and publications plus the title of a documentary A bomb under breedingpolicy. 

Open and honest is mentioned more times here. This also means that breeders, breedclubs and kennelclubs must be prepared in dealing with media in an adequate way. Their voice was mostly missing in most media last week. Maybe we can prevent that explosion of a bomb, we owe it to a breed that is in my eyes providing one of life's best concerts of joy. Hopefully the owner and breeder of Sam will find that joy again as well.

Thanks for your attention,

 

Henk ten Klooster.

 

 

[Angela Clarke]

Further to my input earlier in this discussion;

Lucky you Suzanne my breeder would not even talk to me.Abbie had her first fit at 2 1/2 as I knew the breeder had kept one of the litter with a view to breeding from her I phoned to let her know. Her daughter ansered the phone the breeder was not home, so I asked her to give her mum the message, she said she would get her mum to ring me back ( she never did ) I tried many times to phone her to make sure she got my message, she was never there!! that is the last contact I had with Abbies breeder. Abbie is now nearly 9 .

This is a very distressing illness Abbie has clusters of fits, up to 6 in one day. She is and has been on meds for 6 years at a cost of £200 month, I know these meds are slowly killing her as they affect the liver, and indeed she has liver danage. People have said I was just unlucky, I dont agree Abbie was just unlucky. I am very lucky because I had her and still do. I am not upset with the breeder for Abbie`s condition only that she didn`t let me know if she was going to postpone breeding from her litter sister.

I would be more than happy for her blood to be tested if it may help others.

Amen

[Georgina]

Angela, how heart rendering, poor Abbie and as i said previously thank goodness she has you by her side.   I would think your offer of blood for testing from Abbie would be more than helpful for the breed and hopefully others will follow your example. 

[Susan Stone]

Thanks for that, Cornelia, the blood bank had slipped my memory. Here is the link for anyone interested. The University of Berne is storing blood of epileptic an dno-epileptic dogs in view of future research programms. I think various countries are participating in this project.

http://www.genetics.unibe.ch/content/e2353/e2786/index_ger.html

 

[Georgina]

Hi Wilko, I think I understand what you are saying.  Whilst sales contracts at point of sale maybe good, it is the humanity of the breeder of the puppies that is really important.  I think that this is where the breeder of Sam has fallen foul of IS lovers, indeed dog owners.   The contract would be worthless if the breeders intent is to be excused and legally divorced from wanting to help a purchaser of a sick puppy.  Of course, a responsible dog loving breeder would not deliberately breed from an affected dog.

Why haven't the readers who read the forum wanted to air their views publicly, seems a bit pointless to me.  Care and Share Wilko, more views aired publicly the better the possibility of reaching a way forward.

The plaintiff was very sensible to obtain as much information to the court as possible.  The pedigress must have been accurate and without dispute otherwise they weaken their standpoint.  You seem to have missed the point that it was dreadful for Sam's owner to have to fight for justice just because the breeder refused to act in an honourable way.  It was unneccessary cruelty to put them through when all they wanted was a happy healthy irish setter not a court case and the loss of Sam.  Seemingly they had bought irish from the breeder previously and it is even more shambolic that he treated them thus.   Happy to take their money but unhappy to help them, dreadful.

I would have thought that people who show and who have one or two litters a year should be asked to deposit the cost of one of their puppies to a health fund for the benefit of the breed.  That's a way forward isn't it, those who are taking from the breed are seen to be philanthropic and more importantly caring.

Did you see the offer of blood for testing from Abbie by Angela, that is helpful for the breed.  And for Angela to do this an offer by the breed club of her country would be good.  The more submission of blood samples from known sufferers of any illness would be tremendous.  We've done it it in the UK with eye testing which has had a modicom of success and certainly given a base from which to work.  Angela is exactly the sort of setter lover we need, honest, open and sadly heartbroken about the dilema she finds herself.  I wouldn't mind betting that she has sacrificed a lot to maintain Abbie over the last 9 years.

Be a little more compassionate for Sam's people and less so for the breeder.   Please!!!

[Torie Lancaster]

Georgina.....I'm sorry to say there are some who worry more about the reputation of IS breeders than anything else.

Never mind the poor soul's who buy these puppies and rack up the vets bills.  'Protect the breeder and to hell with you' seems to be the motto of some!

[Georgina]

Torrie, the nail and the head hitting it etc etc etc.  Interesting reply from Anne to my blog!  She seems to be misunderstanding that Henk was correct to report this incident and seems overly angry about comments that the breeder of Sam had a case to answer and was found wanting.  Henk is closing this debate shortly so will wish you a good night and look forward to further debates

[Torie Lancaster]

Hi Georgina........Anne's reply to you says it all !!

[Torie Lancaster]

In this case.....the owners.  They had nothing to lose except poor Sam.