Question:
Last year I formed the only chin club in NZ, part of which we have our own standards, but with so many 'people' breeding chins in such cruel circumstances (that are not member's of the Club), we are trying to bring in breeding standards and guidelines that will be taken on Nationally, but in order for this to happen we need to approach our SPCA (same as some RSPCA's) and I would like to know if anyone has done this? If you have approached an organisation for Animal Welfare and they took the standards on - how did you go about it?Basically, chins are being breed with heart defects, malocclusion (all forms), fur chewing, inbreed - you name - it seems to happen here and while these people aren't in the Club, am trying to look at ways to stop this sort of breeding happen - does anyone have any ideas? And if it get's mentioned - I am personally, strongly against fur breeding, so that does not come into the equation. The Club does not support it AT ALL. Chins are still considered 'new' here and some branches of the SPCA don't want to know - so really hard to break down the barriers as such.


Answer:
Welcome it's nice to have a fellow kiwi here, even though I've been living out of the country for 17 years.
Hmmmm answering your questions isn't so easy. We do still have many people here breeding chins with many of the same problems you named and in less than favourable conditions. These are the kind of people who think there is lots of money to be made and seems that's all they care about.

Most of the people on this forum who do breed chinchillas do it for the love of the animal and to try and improve the species by selective breeding. We do have several organisations such as MCBA, NCBC and Empress to name a few who uphold their members to certain standards and try to encourage good breeding practices while also educating their members on how to do this.
However it seems almost impossible to uphold everyone who breeds chinchillas to a certain standard other than offering advice to those who will listen. Sadly it seems the SPCA or Humane Society doesn't have the kind of manpower or funding or space to deal with many of the bad breeders and their animals or any animal for that matter.

I love the concept behind what your organisation is trying to do but short of passing laws forcing people to adhere to a certain standard it seems really hard to enforce those guidelines that you would like to see in place.
You could try encouraging chin breeders to belong to your club and those who are genuinely interested and want to breed the healthiest best animals they can probably will join. There will always be some honest reputable breeders who don't join though and there will always be dishonest bad breeders no matter what you try and do.

Good luck with this and let us know how it goes,
Carleen

Carleen


Answer:
Hi - loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee the photos of your darlings I want lol.

I've heard about this empress 'thing' looked at their site but quickly shut it down after sending an email - but that is the sort of thing I do. I am incredibly weary on which sites I will go to and ask simply because 'pelting' seems so big in other countries and I don't want to be associated with that. Infact, I got banned from one site simply because I said I was against it.

I asked on CU about it as well and people offered help with breeding standards for the Club - but we have that. I think you got it though - ideally and enforceable law is what I want. I'd be willing to travel through NZ to help teach and train and have a very good friend really up with chins etc in the North Island who would do the same. Rescuing them wouldn't be a problem as can do that too.

We have 18 member's in the Club - and much more chinnie owners are out there, but they are the ones who either won't join or are put off because one of our rules clearly states the Chins health and welfare is the priority. And people know what they are doing is wrong, but they just won't change so avoid it.

A friend is a qualified judge and we were chatting last night and she might come out and do a show, very informal - but basically to get the message out there and make people aware - so that could be a way to start. Am at a loss really.

Started a 4 page letter for the SPCA and will send it to WISPA and SAFE, I guess all we can do is hound them until they say yes simply to stop my letters.

Did you live in NZ long?


Answer:
Originally Posted by Carlee36
Welcome it's nice to have a fellow kiwi here, even though I've been living out of the country for 17 years.
Hmmmm answering your questions isn't so easy. We do still have many people here breeding chins with many of the same problems you named and in less than favourable conditions. These are the kind of people who think there is lots of money to be made and seems that's all they care about.

Most of the people on this forum who do breed chinchillas do it for the love of the animal and to try and improve the species by selective breeding. We do have several organisations such as MCBA, NCBC and Empress to name a few who uphold their members to certain standards and try to encourage good breeding practices while also educating their members on how to do this.
However it seems almost impossible to uphold everyone who breeds chinchillas to a certain standard other than offering advice to those who will listen. Sadly it seems the SPCA or Humane Society doesn't have the kind of manpower or funding or space to deal with many of the bad breeders and their animals or any animal for that matter.

I love the concept behind what your organisation is trying to do but short of passing laws forcing people to adhere to a certain standard it seems really hard to enforce those guidelines that you would like to see in place.
You could try encouraging chin breeders to belong to your club and those who are genuinely interested and want to breed the healthiest best animals they can probably will join. There will always be some honest reputable breeders who don't join though and there will always be dishonest bad breeders no matter what you try and do.

Good luck with this and let us know how it goes,
Carleen

Carleen
I agree with Carleen. Unfortunately it will be difficult to create or enforce breeding laws. You are doing good work by educating.


Answer:
I also think there is really no way it can be done that way. But can only try and if that fails - will just have to do the show down here (get one of the Judges down) and try and educate that way as well as through the Club.

It's just hard when you know how some are being breed