How to check if the breeder is registered

How to check if the breeder is registered.

Scammers and backyard breeders are getting increasingly clever at trying to convince people they are genuine registered breeders, therefore, it is important to know how to check if the breeder is registered.

Firstly, be aware scammers can be incredibly convincing and often have genuine looking websites. To help you determine if you are possibly looking at a scam website – please refer to our blog post: How to spot a kitten scammer.

There are some key questions you can ask the person you are considering adopting from and other information to look for to ensure the breeder you are adopting from is in fact a registered breeder.

CHECK THEIR MEMBERSHIP

The majority of registering bodies have a breeder listing on their website. However, it is important to be aware not all registered breeders may appear on this listing. Some bodies require their members to pay a fee to be on this listing, or only add those members who specifically request to be added to the listing.

Registering bodies are bound by the Privacy Act so if you ask the wrong question you may not receive the information you seek. However, if you ask the right question they can confirm a membership status without breaching the Privacy Act. For example: IE if you ask a vague question like “what breeders do you have located in suburb?” they cannot answer this question without breaching the Privacy Act. However, if you have the breeders information and ask the question: “Can you please confirm if breeder name and prefix name located in suburb is a registered breeder with your organisation?” they are able to provide a “yes” or “no” answer without being in breach of the Privacy Act.

Be aware some scammers and/or backyard breeders will steal the information of a properly registered breeder in an attempt to convince you they are registered. Upon arrival at the breeders location, it is always worth asking the breeder you are looking to adopt from to see their membership card with their registering body as scammers and/or backyard breeders pretending to be a properly registered breeder will not be able to produce this physical document.

In Australia there are multiple registering bodies. These are:

AUSTRALIAN CAT FEDERATION (ACF) AFFILIATES:

CO-ORDINATING CAT COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA (CCCA) AFFILIATES:

OTHER:

Australian National Cats Inc. (ANCATS)

VICTORIAN ADOPTERS

Victorian breeders are required by law to register for a PER Source Code and this source code must appear on all adverts. If you spot a dog, cat, puppy or kitten being advertised without a PER Source Code this person is breaking State Law.

Where a PER source code is listed, you are able to confirm this source code is in fact registered to the person using it by using the Agriculture Victoria PER Source Code Lookup tool.

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN ADOPTERS

Like Victoria, South Australian breeders are required by law to register for and include their DACO BRN in all adverts. Should you see an advert without this number located in South Australia the advertiser is breaking State Law.

Also, like Victoria, the State Government has a website where you are able to look up the DACO BRN to ensure the information you are being provided matches the breeders registration information. This can be found via the Dogs and Cats Online website.

QUEENSLAND ADOPTERS

Queensland adopters need to be aware laws in Queensland allow people to register with their local council as a breeder. These people then advertise animals as being from a “registered breeder”. However, to be a proper registered breeder, you must hold a valid kennel name or cattery prefix.

A cattery prefix’s can only be provided by a registering body. In Queensland these are (in alphabetical order):

If the person you are looking to adopt from cannot provide membership information from one of these organisations, they are not a properly registered cat breeder, they are just a local council registered breeder. Local Council registered breeders typically do not breed to the breed standard, nor are they bound by a Code of Ethics in relation to the way they breed their cats and/or kittens sold to adopters. The cats and kittens from this type of breeder may well be purebred, however, they would be not be recognised by any registering body within Australia as a pedigree cat or kitten.

TICA BREEDERS

The International Cat Association (TICA) allow Australian’s to register, breed and even produce TICA certified pedigrees.

However, to our knowledge Australian National Cats Inc., The Australian Cat Federation Inc (and their affiliates), and The Co-Ordinating Cat Council of Australia (and their affiliates) do not recognise these pedigrees.

This means if you are a registered breeder and you buy a cat born here in Australia with a TICA pedigree, your registering body most likely will not allow you to use this cat in your breeding program.

There are some exceptions to this rule – i.e. if a breed has not previously been recognised by the registering bodies within Australia but has Australian based breeders, then the breed becomes recognised. However, these exceptions are up to the registering bodies and their affiliates own discretion.

How to check if the breeder is registered