In a message dated 2/18/2003 10:06:45 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> Who pays for the wrays? The breeder or the owner? The owner. Some breeders include a 'retainer' to cover xrays and neutering when you buy the puppy, then refund that money to you when you've done them...but it's your money they're giving back so I consider it the owner's expense. You're probably asking "Why should the owner pay the cost of information to help the breeder?" The answer is that the information benefits everyone; the breeder, the owner, and the breed. Janice talked about how the information benefits the owner, and it's true. As my dogs have aged, it's been very helpful knowing their orthopedic status. We expect breeders to evaluate their dogs for hereditary disease before breeding them. Certainly a dog affected by a hereditary disease like HD or ED is more likely to produce affected puppies than a dog that's not affected. But...these are polygentic traits (more than one gene involved) so it's not that simple. For polygenic hereditary disease, the majority of the information breeders need in order to make informed decisions is stored in the black beasties sleeping on our couches! Asking breeders to reduce hereditary disease without screening our companion dogs is asking them to build a Lincoln Log tower while wearing a straight jacket. At some point, years ago, I found that I care deeply about the breed as a whole...not just my own dogs. That translates into support for rescue, research, public education, learning about the standard, AND... doing everything I can to reduce the incidence of hereditary disease in our breed. That starts at home. :-) -Sherri Venditti Kalie, spayed at 7 mo OFA hips & elbows, CERF eyes Simca, spayed at 6 mo, GDC hips & elbows, PennHIP, CERF eyes, OFA cardiac Granger (intact), OFA hip & elbows, PennHIP, CERF, OFA cardiac, vWD DNA, AKC DNA.
