Code of Ethics

The Chesapeake Bay West Highland White Terrier Club (CBWHWTC) recognizes its responsibility to preserve, protect, and advance the interests of the West Highland White Terrier (Westie). It further recognizes that the health, quality, reputation, and future well being of the breed are a joint responsibility of all members, especially its member/breeders. Therefore, as guidance both to the public and its members, the CBWHWTC sets forth below certain standards of conduct to be followed by its members:

General Conduct

  • Members will at all times act in the interest of the breed and of the well being of individual dogs, and will practice and promote responsible dog ownership, including the encouraging of spaying and/or neutering of pet-quality Westies.
  • Members should be familiar with the Breed Standard and strive to maintain its integrity.
  • Members/breeders will be familiar with and abide by the American Kennel Club (AKC) rules governing record keeping, registration, and sale and transfer of dogs and will keep accurate records of breeding, health and exhibition of his/her dogs.
  • Advertising by members will be as factual as possible. Misleading information, exaggerations, or unfounded implications of superiority will not be used.
  • Members will ensure that every dog they own, co-own, care for and/or rehome is provided with humane living quarters, proper nutrition and grooming, adequate exercise and veterinary supervised health care.
  • Members will refrain from knowingly making exaggerated, unfair, or untrue statements about the dogs or practices of others.

Breeding

  • No member shall breed to any dog or bitch not registered with the AKC.
  • Breeder members shall accept responsibility for any dogs they produce for as long as those dogs live, should any be abandoned, abused, relinquished, or become homeless.
  • All breedings will be planned with the aim of improving the breed, with consideration given to type, temperament, health, and soundness. All members will be familiar with the Standard of the breed, and will do everything in his/her power to discourage breedings from clearly inferior specimens of the breed, or to any such specimen with his/her stud.
  • If a dog or bitch produces offspring with a serious defect or genetically transmitted disease, the owner must disclose the information to the prospective breeder or stud owner when negotiating a breeding with another owner.
  • No member will breed a bitch unless he/she has the time and facilities to devote proper care and attention to the physical and emotional development of the puppies and to the well being of the dam. No puppy will be placed in a new home before the pup is 8-weeks old and had its first vaccination. No member should provide stud service unless he/she is satisfied that the owner of the bitch has such time and facilities necessary for proper development of the pups.
  • Only mature dogs and bitches are to be used for breeding. A bitch should not be bred on her first heat and preferably not before 18 months of age.
  • No member will breed any bitch more than two out of three successive seasons (assuming that litters result) and never without due regard for the health and well being of the bitch.

Selling/Placing

  • Proper placement of each Westie is essential to the welfare of the dog, the pleasure of the owner, and is a reflection on the breeder.
  • Members selling or placing a Westie shall interview all prospective new owners to ascertain that they will provide the proper love, care, nourishment, supervision, and attention to the Westie. Any member selling or placing a Westie should offer his/her long-term commitment to assist and guide the new owners, and understands that if a show/breeding home is selected, that adds an additional responsibility.
  • A member selling an adult dog or puppy which he/she knows to be an inferior specimen of the breed not suitable for competition in conformation classes, or to have a physical condition which indicates that the breeding of the animal would be detrimental to the breed, shall so inform the buyer in writing. The sale shall be made with agreements in writing, signed by both buyer and seller, that the dog is not to be bred; is to be spayed or neutered; that the AKC registration papers will be delivered to the buyer upon receipt by the seller of proof of spaying or neutering; and that the AKC registration papers will be marked “Limited Registration.”
  • Any warranties or other agreements pertaining to the sale of a Westie will be put in writing, with a copy to the buyer.
  • Members shall NOT use the Club’s name or logo to promote the sale of their Westies.
  • No member will knowingly sell, lease, loan, trade, give, consign or otherwise provide any dog or any stud services to any pet shop, catalogue house, research laboratory, or any wholesale dealer in dogs, or to any person who sells to pet shopts, catalogue houses, laboratories, or person or entity that deals in dogs for resale or is known to be unethical in dealings or treatment of dogs. No member will aid or abet any such transaction.

Enforcement

Enforcement of this Code of Ethics will be as provided in Article VI of the Constitution and By-Laws of the Chesapeake Bay West Highland White Terrier Club.

Approved: November 25, 2006