Owners Code of Ethics

Giving Pets Forever Homes!

Deciding to add a new pet to your home is a life-changing experience that comes with important responsibilities.

By getting a pet from one of The Pedigree Paws Partner Breeders, owners agree to acknowledge and abide by the standards stated in our Code of Ethics as responsible pet owners. This document has been designed to ensure that owners provide continuous care for the health and well-being of their puppy or kitten.

New Owners agree to:

1. Carefully analyse and select the breed most suitable for their lifestyle, before getting a new pet.
2. Be fully aware of the needs of their selected breed and understand the obligations a selected breed requires.
3. Should only take as many pets as they can care for responsibly.
4. Prior to deciding on getting a pet, make sure that the decision is well thought through. It should not be a spontaneous decision.
5. Fully understand that a dog or cat is a living creature that requires constant care throughout its life. For some individuals, this can be 15-20+ years. Dogs and cats cannot care for themselves. Therefore, they are fully dependent on the level of care their owners can provide for them. They deserve the maximum level of care because their owners are their whole world.
6. Understand that every animal has his or her own individual temperament and character. This may not be exactly as the breed guide describes. Owners should also understand that it takes time to bond with an animal and get to know it’s true temperament. However, once the bond has been created, every animal is special and equally beautiful.
7. Owners agree on the decision to add a new pet to their home with all house members.
8. Prepare their home and garden for the pet’s arrival, making sure that all areas are free from hazards, such as harmful chemicals and toxic plants.
9. Purchase all the necessary equipment for a dog or cat, such as food, litter box, toys, and grooming supplies, prior to their new pet's arrival.
10. Shortly after arrival (within two to three days), owners should have their new pet examined by a licensed veterinarian.
11. Pets should be provided with clean, comfortable, and warm housing.
12. Pets should have clean food and water dishes.
13. Pets should have plenty of opportunities for exercise and play through interaction as well as a variety of toys and games.
14. Any pet should receive adequate human contact throughout the day. They should not be left alone for extended periods of time.
15. Drinking water must be available at all times. Pets must also be fed regularly with a nutritious diet as per breeder’s advice for their specific breed and age.
16. Both cats and dogs need to be groomed regularly to keep their coats in good condition. Long-haired breeds should be groomed daily to prevent the formation of knots and matted areas, which can cause discomfort.
17. Pets should be regularly dewormed, checked for fleas, and attend routine vet check-ups.
18. Pets should receive annual vaccination boosters as recommended by their veterinarians and receive a health check annually.
19. Whenever a pet is showing signs of illness, veterinary attention must be sought and followed.
20. Understand that a dog or cat raised by even the best ethical breeder can still get ill. In such circumstances, it is the owner's responsibility to provide veterinary care when needed.
21. Breeders agree to place their pets in homes that offer happy, healthy living conditions. If/when an owner cannot provide this level of care, they should contact the breeder to return the animal for rehoming.
22. Never, under any circumstances, should an owner agree to rehome their pet to an animal shelter or abandon their pet. Instead, owners should contact their breeder to return the animal.
23. Owners will not resell their pets to a commercial pet seller or retail pet store.
24. Every pet needs to be registered (in the United Kingdom with Petlog), using their microchip number.
25. In terms of any disease, owners will provide loving care throughout their pet’s lives.
26. Owners will not rehome their pet for allergy reasons. Rather, they should visit their doctor or allergist to check whether getting a cat or a dog is safe for them. This should be done prior to adding a pet to their home.
27. Not rehome a pet when any family member (including the pet) becomes ill. Pets deserve love and care in times of health and sickness.
28. Not rehome a pet for any sort of financial reasons. Instead, owners should be fully aware of the costs associated with caring for a pet long-term.
29. Not rehome a pet due to owners relocating. A pet should be relocated with their family.
30. Understand that for our Partner Breeders, their kittens and puppies are family members, not just pets. For this reason, they may want to make sure their offspring is receiving appropriate care and treated like a family member.
31. Understand that lack of training, mental stimulation, and social activities are very likely to cause behavioural issues.
32. Never keep a pet in a cage, in the garden, garage, or anywhere else unsuitable for a household pet.
33. Owners agree that under no circumstances, will they disrespect, physically or emotionally hurt their pet. Owners should fully abide by The Animal Welfare Act (2006).
34. Owners agree that if any physical or behavioural problem arises with their pet, they will contact the breeder for guidance. Breeders need to know about any health issues as this gives them vital information to improve their breeding lines.

In relation to cats only:

1. Cats should be kept indoors, in a secure fenced garden, or catio for their own safety.
2. In cases of behavioural difficulties, owners should first contact a qualified cat behaviouralist and/or veterinary specialist to detect the cause of any issues. They should then take reasonable steps to resolve the issue, with animal welfare being the top priority at all times.
3. In cases of an allergy known prior to getting a cat, owners should consult with their doctor and run allergy tests to be fully sure they won’t experience any allergy symptoms if they adopt or purchase a cat. This is important to avoid any unnecessary rehoming because this process can cause extreme stress to the cat.
4. Cats should be provided with scratching posts so they can effectively trim their nails.
5. Owners will not declaw their cats.
6. Owners will not rehome their cat in the event of the owner falling pregnant, due to the fear of toxoplasmosis. Owners should instead make necessary adjustments in litterbox cleaning. Having a cat while pregnant is perfectly safe with the application of additional hygiene standards.

In relation to dogs only:

1. Dogs must wear a collar with an identification tag containing their owner’s phone number and name. For security reasons, it is advisable to do not add their pet’s name to the tag.
2. Depending on their choice of breed, owners will provide an adequate level of exercise daily. In some cases, this can be up to 2 hours.
3. Owners will allocate the time and provide the necessary training for their dogs to attend dog school. Owners will also actively socialise their puppy from day one to expose the puppy to all possible situations and different kinds of people. This includes kids, the elderly, and other animals, under supervision.
4. Owners will be responsible and in cases when a puppy is of a specific breed, such as a guard breed, they will keep the dog on a lead in public areas to alleviate social worries. Acknowledge that some people fear dogs and be mindful of this without causing additional stress.
5. No matter the breed, owners will always have their dogs under control and well-trained to ensure they adapt well to society.
6. Owners declare that they fully accept and consider themselves bound by the above Code of Ethics.

The Owner Code of Ethics is correct as of (1 May 2020) and enters into effect from this date.