However, from Monday 30th March 2020 we hope to be able to email customers a copy of new registration cards etc. We will then send out the cards, and any documents that need to be returned, in the post as soon as the restrictions have been lifted.  

We will also temporarily accept photocopies of import paperwork. Please send them to info@gccfcats.org   This will return to the originals being required as soon as restrictions are lessened.                  

We apologise for any inconvenience and are doing our best to keep the disruption to the minimum possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Cat of the Year Results 2020

Please click here for the interim results

COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

The GCCF is closely monitoring the situation regarding COVID-19.  Following the COBRA meeting this week the government has said it is “important that people go about their business as usual” for the time being.  Advice from Public Health England has not changed and the emphasis now must be in enhanced personal hygiene with reduced physical contact and increased washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and if that not available use of alcohol based hand sanitizers. 

However individuals must make their own judgements based on their own age and health conditions as we know the over 80s and those with underlying respiratory conditions are at increased risk if they contract the infection. 

Cat World Cat Congress 2021 and the GCCF Supreme Cat Show

The GCCF Supreme Cat Show 2021 in conjunction with the Annual World Cat Congress will take place at the NEC, Birmingham on 23rd October 2021. This will be a dual certificate show, with both the GCCF Supreme Cat Show and the WCC Cat Show taking place on the day.

Further details of the programme for the whole of the World Cat Congress event are being developed and once confirmed, will be available later in the year. These will include details of the Hotel, the proposed outing/visit for WCC delegates, the Gala Dinner, the WCC public seminar and WCC Business Meeting, together with associated costs as well as details of the show taking place at the NEC. The show and the overall weekend will commemorate the 150th anniversary of the very first Cat Show, which was held at Crystal Place in 1871.

The hotel which we are proposing to use for the WCC element of the event has a no pets policy. Unfortunately those which do accept pets are substantially more expensive and we are conscious of the need to keep the overall cost within budget and at a level to encourage attendance for the whole weekend. However we will also negotiate a rate for exhibitors at an alternative pet friendly hotel if there is enough of a demand to do so.

We are now actively inviting sponsorship, suggestions and contributions from all members of the Cat Fancy in order to ensure the success of the event and to deliver a weekend that it is both interesting, informative and attractive to visitors and also recognises and celebrates the traditions and heritage of the Cat Fancy in the UK and worldwide.

If you are interested in being part of the project or have ideas or suggestions, for sponsorship or for content or to help raise the profile of the event; can you please initially contact one of the following, John Hansson, Lynda Ashmore or Jen Pinches.

My e-mail address is hansson808@btinternet.com  John Hansson

NOTICE FROM THE OFFICE - Paying by cash

We seem to have had an increasing number of people trying to post cash and coins to the office to pay for things such as registrations, and this money often does not make it to us, for reasons unknown. We would like to make people aware that we can not take responsibility for money that gets lost through the post, and we highly recommend that everyone makes payment to the office via card, bank transfer or cheque.

The Suffolk BAC has accepted an offer from the Board to transfer from Section 6 Grand Group A to Section 5 Grand Group B.  

This will be effective for shows taking place after 1 January 2020.

ALERT RE. ORAL FLEA TREATMENT

The GCCF has recently received a report of the sudden death of 2 BSH cats a few hours after being given the recommended dose of a flea treatment containing an insecticide called spinosad. A third cat died suddenly two weeks after dosing and there are internet reports of some dogs and cats experiencing side effects of severe sickness and fits. It is a prescription only medicine and taken by mouth rather than applied to the skin. If you have concerns after reading this please discuss your methods of flea control with your vet.

Please share this with your friends and club members.

FIP RESEARCH

Petra Cerna works at the The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies - please see the post below:

As most of you know, I am very much involved in FIP research and I am very happy to let everyone know about our new website http://fip-research.org and I have a big favour to ask from all of you. We are looking for blood samples from pedigree cats that have been diagnosed with FIP and their both healthy and other FIP siblings as well as their mother and father. 
We are also looking for blood samples from these breeds: Sacred Birmans, Bengals, British Shorthair and Longhair, Sphynx, Siamese/Oriental, Burmese and Russian Blue cats.
Could you please send me a message (via her Facebook page) if you can help me? Thank you very much.

Any breeders are also very welcome to join our FIP research group for breeders: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1984834335133226/

POLITE NOTICE TO SHOW MANAGERS

Please note, can those show managers who are currently managing a breed show, that may contain more than just the breed the club represents, please be aware I am unable to allocate section points for the show, to indicate the points for COTY, unless the overall Adult/Kitten and Neuter are identified. 

28th March 2019

WATCHDOG – Rogue Traders

In response to the item on the Watchdog programme aired on Wednesday 7^th November, Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) can confirm that the person featured in the programme is on our records as owning registered cats. They are all non-Active (registered as pets only, not suitable for breeding) and some were (allegedly) neutered at the time of registration. So it would appear that she may be breeding with non-Active cats which is contrary to our rules and therefore no progeny could ever be registered.

The GCCF recommends that all cats, both pedigree and non-pedigree, should be neutered unless they are registered on the active register and used in an approved breeding programme with appropriate health guards in place and the intention of preserving or improving a recognised breed.

The GCCF is extremely concerned about the deliberate breeding of unregistered kittens from pedigree parents or breed crosses by unregulated breeders who are usually unwilling to obtain cats suitable for breeding and carry out the required health checks and/or DNA tests. Breeders that follow our rules have kittens and keep them in a family group with their mother.  Most who seek financial gain at the expense of good breeding practices prefer to cut corners and ignore welfare.

The GCCF Breeder Scheme allows dedicated, caring and responsible breeders who aim for the highest standards and best practice in feline welfare to sign up to an enhanced Code of Ethics.  Kittens should not leave the breeder until one week after a full course of vaccinations is completed. This ensures they are beyond the very vulnerable kitten stage, will have received vaccination protection and been assessed by a vet on at least two occasions. 

Further information about pedigree cat breeds, and their correct breeding and registration policies, including advice on purchasing and insuring a pedigree kitten can be found on the GCCF website www.gccfcats.org 

BAC Review Group Update - Council meeting October 2018

At the October Council meeting, Kate Kaye gave an update report on the work of the BAC Review Group.  Please click HERE to download or read Kate's report.

"Lucy's Law"

The Government announced yesterday that they plan to introduce legislation (called 'Lucy's Law') to ban the sale of puppies and kittens through a third party agent, this means pet shops or pet dealers.  The detail of this legislation has not yet been published but once introduced it should have no impact on breeders who register with GCCF as they sell the kittens they breed directly to a new owner, and not to a pet shop or animal dealer.  

Reports on the new legislation have also mentioned the fact that licensed dog breeders may or will be asked to quote their license number in adverts placed on-line or elsewhere. This does not apply to most cat breeders as they remain defined as hobby breeders if not operating a commercial cat breeding business and so do not require a licence from the 1st October 2018, when new animal licensing legislation comes into effect. 

Media reports on ‘Lucy’s Law’ have stated that the intention is to ban puppy and kitten farming which is correct, but it should not be forgotten that dog and cat breeding are covered by different rules (schedules) within the new legislation. Once there is further information on the detail of exactly how the new proposal will regulate advertising an update will be given.

Steve Crow - Director

Animal Welfare legislation 2018 - Defra guidelines for local authority inspectors 

http://www.petcare.org.uk/images/Images_2018/AAL/Guidance_notes_for_selling_animals_as_pets.pdf

What is in and out of the scope: Selling animals as pets

2. Schedule1of theAnimalWelfare(LicensingofActivitiesInvolvingAnimals)(England) Regulations 2018 (“the regulations”) defines the licensable activities for each sector. In all cases except dog breeding, the licensable activity is restricted to businesses or those operating on a commercial basis.

Business Test

1. The regulations specify two example business tests to be considered when determining whether an activity is considered commercial, and thus within scope. They are not the exclusive factors to be considered but are examples and other factors, such as those listed in the nine badges of trade set out by HMRC, are also relevant. The regulations include the following on this issue:
2. The circumstances which a local authority must take into account in determining whether an activity is being carried on in the course of a business for the purposes of this Schedule include, for example, whether the operator—

(a) makes any sale by, or otherwise carries on, the activity with a view to making a profit, or

(b) earns any commission or fee from the activity.

1. This guidance is intended to assist inspectors in determining whether or not an activity may be subject to the regulations noting that ultimately there will be an element of judgement required.
2. Set out below are examples of the type of activity that should or should not be considered within the scope of the regulations and the indicators that should be considered when deciding whether a licence is required.
3. Local authority inspectors should take account of all elements of the advice below and weigh them against each other before reaching a decision as to whether an activity falls within scope of the regulations. 

Selling animals as pets: Text of the definition in Schedule 1 of the regulations

“2. Selling animals as pets (or with a view to their being later resold as pets) in the course of a business including keeping animals in the course of a business with a view to their being so sold or resold.

In scope criteria

Activities that fulfil one or more of the following criteria are subject to licensing:

Guideline indicators of running a business of selling animals as pets

The following may assist consideration of the criteria listed above:

· Advertising through a variety of sites, forums or media could indicate a commercial activity.

Out of scope criteria

Activities that fulfil one or more of the following criteria are not subject to licensing:

Guideline indicators of “out of scope” activities

The following may assist consideration of the criteria listed above:

Update on Licensing of Cat Breeders 

Please see my previous postings on this Noticeboard for the full background on this topic. 

Since my last update in October 2017, work has continued to write the guidance that will be necessary for interpreting each of the five schedules contained within the Statutory Instrument drafted to amend the Animal Welfare Act 2006.  To remind everyone there are five schedules covering: The Boarding of Cats & Dogs; Dog Breeding; Pet Vending; Hiring out of Horse; and Exhibiting Animals.  The licensing of cat breeding will be operated under the Schedule 3: Pet Vending. 

This guidance will be available to inform licensees of the requirements under each schedule and will also guide local authority Environmental Health Inspectors in interpreting and applying the requirements of the legislation when inspecting licensed premises.  I have been a member of the working group developing the guidance for the Pet Vending schedule.

“The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations 2018” (www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2018/9780111165485) has now completed its journey through both the House of Commons and House of Lords without amendment.  Lord Gardiner, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Rural Affairs and Biodiversity, confirmed to members of the Canine & Feline Sector Group on 1^st May that licensing will be enacted from 1^st October 2018.  Between now and then, training will be organised and delivered to Environmental Health Inspectors in England.  The legislation will not apply in Scotland, but the Welsh Assembly have developed legislation similar to that in England. 

As I have reported before, the key factor in determining who is in scope to be licensed is whether the person is breeding cats with the intention of making a profit.  This will be the crucial factor in establishing that a breeder is operating commercially ie. as a business.  Any breeder who believes the licensing will apply to their circumstances should contact their local authority with a view to apply for a license from October this year.

My reading of the new legislation would indicate that the large majority of cat breeders registering with GCCF will be out of scope and will not require a licence.  However, it is the responsibility of each breeder to check their own situation and to act accordingly.  If you are breeding very regularly and in sufficient numbers to make a profit, you are likely to be considered to be a commercial pet vendor, in which case you will need to apply for a license. 

I urge breeders to keep financial records so as to be able to demonstrate, when necessary, both to their local authority and to HMRC that they are not making an profit and do not require a pet vending license.

Steve Crow

14^th May 2018