The Importance of Accountability and Transparency in Dog Breeding
Written By Kate Dalman
The world of dog breeding has a clear divide between good and bad breeders. On one side, conscientious breeders continually work toward higher standards for health, temperament, and care. On the other, those who use poor breeding practices and prioritize profit over the well-being of dogs contribute to shelter overpopulation and long-term health issues. This is why it’s crucial to focus on accountability and transparency—leaving behind terms like "ethical" breeding.
Moving Beyond "Ethical" Breeding
The term "ethical" has long been used to describe responsible breeders, but it has lost all meaning. Because "ethical" is a self-proclaimed term without any measurable criteria, it allows those with unscrupulous practices to make claims that they are, in fact, “ethical” breeders. This undermines the credibility of breeders who genuinely prioritize the welfare of their dogs and buyers.
Instead of relying on "ethical" as a vague descriptor, the industry must move toward measurable accountability and transparency. This shift ensures that claims about responsible breeding practices are backed by evidence and transparency, not personal declarations. Accountability removes ambiguity and replaces it with actionable standards, which hold breeders to consistent, verifiable practices.
Accountability: The Cornerstone of Responsible Breeding
Accountability in dog breeding means breeders are responsible for the health and welfare of their dogs, the puppies they produce, and the families they place those puppies with. It is the foundation for creating a trustworthy breeding industry.
Problems with current practices:
Health Testing and Documentation
Breeders who prioritize accountability perform breed-appropriate genetic and health screenings and provide clear documentation to buyers to ensure that health risks are minimized and buyers can make informed decisions. Because each breed has a range of genetic tests that can be performed, many breeders will do the bare minimum of testing and can then claim their dogs have been health tested even though they haven’t completed the recommended testing to prove their dogs are worthy of breeding. This is a clear misrepresentation by the breeder.Commitment to Lifetime Care
Responsible breeders accept dogs back at any point in their lives if an owner can no longer care for them. This commitment ensures that dogs bred under their program never end up in shelters or abandoned. Countless “hobby” breeders nationwide do not accept their dogs back. Because they plan to claim no accountability if an owner needs to relinquish, they aren’t concerned with choosing owners who are prepared for the long-term commitment. Instead, making the sale is their highest priority.Buyer Education
Accountable breeders educate puppy buyers on breed-specific traits, proper care, training, and behavior. This equips new owners with the tools needed for long-term success, reducing the likelihood of relinquishments. Breeders who are only concerned with making the sale often make false claims about their experience level or their dog’s health, temperament or conformation. This understandably leaves the general public mistrustful of breeders.
Transparency: Building Trust Through Openness
Breeders who openly share their practices, policies, and records stand out as trustworthy and reliable. Transparency empowers buyers to distinguish responsible breeders from those who are not, and it fosters an industry culture focused on continuous improvement. Breeders have a duty to give their potential owners the information needed to make an informed decision. Not only does this help combat the stigma behind breeders, it also encourages more breeders to hold themselves to a higher standard.
Preventing Shelter Overpopulation Through Accountability and Transparency
We need to demand industry-wide change. By holding breeders to measurable standards, we will reduce overbreeding which will reduce shelter populations.
Minimum Care Requirements: With even minimum standards in place, breeders who prioritize profit over the health and well-being of their dogs will find their profit margin will go down if they are paying for proper genetic testing, feeding a well-balanced food and providing required veterinary care. These breeders will either need to cover the costs to elevate their practices or exit the industry altogether. Those that exit the industry will translate into thousands of breeders being put out of business.
Lifetime Support: Dogs bred by conscientious breeders are less likely to enter shelters due to the safety net provided by lifetime return policies. Not only will breeders choose their owners more carefully, they will also retire earlier if they know they have a responsibility to accept their pups back for their entire lifespan, and will have less litters in general. A dog that has an average lifespan of 12-15 years means the breeder should plan to retire their program 12-15 years before they want to be done caring for dogs to account for dogs that need to be returned.
Permits, Licenses and Fees: Just as local governments often require a dog to have an up to date rabies tag on file, they should also enforce that all breeders, not just the ones that have 5 or more breeding females, should be registered with the USDA. This will make a massive impact on the breeding community. No longer will breeders be able to accept cash under the table, and this will also enable authorities to have their eye on breeders with poor practices. Revenue brought in from licenses and fees can be used to enforce better practices.
Breaking Barriers Between Breeders and Rescues
The divide between "Adopt Don’t Shop" advocates and conscientious breeders has stalled real progress. Rescues and breeders share a common goal: reducing the number of dogs entering shelters and ensuring that every dog lives a healthy, fulfilling life. By working together, these two groups can establish and support initiatives that enforce responsible breeding while simultaneously addressing overpopulation.
Legislative Support for Accountability
Creating enforceable regulations is another key step forward:
License Systems: Requiring all breeders, regardless of size, to obtain breeding licenses introduces oversight and transparency. These requirements would deter hobby breeders who cut corners or operate "under the table."
Standardized Care Benchmarks: Setting enforceable standards for genetic testing, veterinary care, and housing conditions will raise the bar for all breeders. Breeders unwilling to meet these standards will exit the industry, reducing the number of irresponsible operations.
Funding Oversight Through Fees: Revenue generated from licenses and inspections can be reinvested into enforcement mechanisms, providing resources to monitor compliance and support initiatives like shelter partnerships or breeder education programs.
Collaboration is Key
Change won’t happen in isolation. Breeders and rescues must come together to lobby for legislation, share best practices, and create pathways for accountability. Remaining divided only allows unscrupulous breeders to continue unchecked, perpetuating shelter overpopulation and the exploitation of dogs.
The Path Forward
Shifting from vague ideals of "ethical breeding" to tangible accountability and transparency creates a breeding industry built on measurable standards. This transformation requires collaboration, education, and legislation—but the results are worth it.
In this future, conscientious breeders are celebrated for their dedication to health, care, and buyer education. Rescues see a sharp decline in intake numbers as overbreeding subsides. Most importantly, dogs benefit from responsible breeding practices that prioritize their well-being over profit.
By uniting breeders, rescues, and policymakers behind these goals, we can create a sustainable and humane breeding industry where every dog has a chance to thrive. Let’s move beyond empty labels and build a future rooted in meaningful, measurable change.