Membership Requirements
1. Members shall read and understand the Australian Association of Pet Dog Breeders Standards and shall agree to abide by these standards.
2. Members shall read and understand the relevant local state codes or legislation (see links on AAPDB web site). Where these practices might conflict with Australian Association of Pet Dog Breeders standards State codes will apply – unless the codes reduce the level of care and responsibility required by breeders – in which case AAPDB standards will apply.
3. Associate Members shall allow their property to be inspected by a person nominated by the AAPDB Board prior to being admitted as full members. Members shall allow their property to be inspected every 2-3 years.
Husbandry requirements
4. Members shall ensure that their dogs are under effective and complete control at all times.
5. Members shall feed their animals a balanced diet appropriate to their life stage.
6. Members shall keep their animals appropriately vaccinated, groomed and free from internal and external parasites and shall seek veterinary attention promptly for animals showing signs of illness.
7. Members shall not house their animals in cages for any reason other than transport, breeding or treatment of illnesses.
8. Members shall not house dogs permanently in individual pens. Animals should spend most of their life in communal runs as described in the AAPDB standards.
9. Members shall not euthanase retired breeding dogs simply because they have been retired. Retired dogs must be desexed, and rehomed or kept as pets. Euthanasia may only be performed by a qualified veterinarian in the case of:
a. intractable behavioural problems that preclude dogs from being used for breeding or rehomed as pets
b. Painful or life threatening health problems that detract from the animal’s expectation of experiencing reasonable quality of life
10. Members should ensure that puppies are vaccinated, free from internal and external parasites and that they are appropriately socialised as outlined in the AAPDB Standards
Sale of puppies
11. Members should rehome their puppies at 8 weeks of age after vaccination at 6 weeks. Members shall never rehome a puppy younger than 7 weeks of age
12. Members should rehome their puppies either
a. Desexed 2 weeks prior to rehoming
b. With a $50.00 desexing voucher refundable on proof of desexing
c. To a pet store that offers a desexing voucher with all pups sold.
13. Sale of puppies to pet stores who have agreed to accept the post sale obligations outlined below, and offer desexing vouchers with all puppies, are endorsed by the AAPDB.
14. Members shall not sell puppies to children under the age of 18 and shall not sell puppies at shows or markets.
15. Members shall accurately describe the breeding of the puppies they sell as outlined in the AAPDB Breeding terminology and discussion
Post sale obligations
16. Members shall offer a 3 day “cooling off” period after private sale of a puppy during which time the pup can be returned and the purchase price refunded, excluding any non-refundable deposit paid.
17. Members shall be responsible for reasonable veterinary expenses up to the purchase price of the puppy for illnesses present at the time of sale of a puppy.
18. Members shall provide new owners with information regarding feeding, veterinary care and training of their puppies.
19. Members must provide clear details of if and when refunds will be offered. If members do offer refunds they shall not require the return of the dog for these refunds to be paid.
20. Members shall undertake to take back and rehome any dog they have bred at any stage in the animal’s life should it become homeless for any reason. The only exception to this is when selling to AAPDB approved pet stores where this duty of care is transferred with the sale of the puppy.