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Artificial Insemination in dogs is the procedure carried out where dog semen is artificially inserted into the vagina or cervix of a female dog to generate pregnancy. AI has been used in cattle for decades, but only in recent years has it increased in popularity among dog breeders.
There are specific rules regarding artificial insemination detailed below and within the Full Guide to Member Services and Stud Book Rules, in addition download the following required forms for completion:
AI Semen Collection Certificate
AI Protocol
Outline
These notes are additional to the Registration Rules. They provide information for members who wish to use an Artificial Insemination (AI) service and detail how an insemination agent may register with the Society.
It will be considered a breach of the rules to submit a Mating Card when AI procedures have been used to achieve insemination of a bitch. These notes describe the use of an AI Form for such notification. Note: this does not encompass what may be described as an 'assisted mating'. If someone undertakes the transfer of semen from dog to bitch, on the same day, then a normal Mating Card should be used accompanied by a brief statement of what occurred.
Summary
The sire and dam must be registered and comply with the Registration Rules.
If semen is to be obtained and supplied by an Agent, the Agent must agree to the terms of a detailed AI Protocol and make an annual registration as an Affiliated Member. The protocol requires secure identification of dogs and authorisations by Competent Persons.
The Agent must be registered with the Society (Affiliated Member), before the AI Form is submitted.
AI Forms must be delivered to the Society office within 42 days of insemination with a fee of £14.00. In order to discourage late submission, forms submitted after 42 days and up to 6 months after insemination will be subject to an increased fee of £26.00. Forms will not be accepted beyond 6 months from the date of insemination.
Insemination Agent Registration
The Agent must complete and submit the attached form to the Society office with the current annual membership and joining fee. The Agent will be recorded as an 'Affiliated Member' who will have no rights under the Society Constitution (as with Affiliated Societies) other than the right given here to act as an agent of the registered owner of the sire.
The Agent may be an organisation, with the Protocol being submitted by the Secretary or other official, or an individual. The individual may or may not be the owner of the sire or dam. That individual's membership of the Society in their own right is separate from the need for them to register as an Agent.
The Agent must be up to date with annual subscriptions before submitting an AI Form.
The Agent may advertise the fact that they are registered with the ISDS for the purpose of AI document submission, and use the name and logo of the Society for that purpose only. Such permission from the Society does not confer approval of all the practices of the Agent and must not be misrepresented.
Any complaints from members regarding the activities of an Agent, or misrepresentation of the Society's registration, will be investigated. If the Agent is found to have acted inappropriately the Society reserves absolute discretion to remove that Agent's registration and/or reject any AI Forms submitted.
Protocol for semen collection, retention and insemination
Dogs for semen sampling, and bitches for inseminating, must be identified by microchip and such number associated with their ISDS name and registered number.
Semen must be sampled and inserted by identified, Competent Persons. The Agent must satisfy themselves that the Competent Person is fit for the task and uses current best practice for handling, storage and labelling of samples. Competent Persons may be veterinarians, or employed by a veterinary practice, or known to be established practitioners in AI. The Agent must retain full details of the name, address and business of all Competent Persons they engage, and retain a letter or certificate describing in full each sampling or insertion for a relevant AI occasion.
Chilled semen will be transported directly between Competent Persons, with or without the assistance of the Agent. Because chilled semen has to be used within a few days there is a minimised risk of misdirection.
Frozen semen will be stored at an authorised laboratory. This laboratory may not in any way be associated with the business of the Agent, other than for the purpose of managing the storage of the semen. The independence of Agent and Laboratory is an important element of process integrity.
Submission of AI forms and registration of pups
The Agent will obtain a signed and witnessed statement (Authorisation) from the registered owner of the stud dog, authorising said Agent to act in the owner's name for the purpose of registering AI activity with the Society.
The Agent will submit to the Society a duly completed AI Form and fee of £12.00 within 42 days of the insemination, confirming that the Agent has in their possession the following: the Authorisation, the Certificate of Sampling and the Certificate of Insemination. Copies of such documents must be produced on the first instance and on following submissions if requested.
The Society will issue a Registration Form to the owner of the bitch in the normal manner. Note: the pups will be registered using the name of the owner of the sire at the date of submission of the AI Form; this is according to the normal Society Rules for Registration. If, however, the sire has been transferred to a new owner in the time between the original collection of semen and the relevant insemination, the Agent or owner of the dam has one of the following options:
a) Obtain an Authorisation from the new owner of the sire and submit this to the Society, or
b) Pay an additional surcharge of £10.00 per puppy to enable the manual production of Registration Certificates showing the name of the owner of the sire at the time of semen collection.
The above limitations must be made known to the owner of the dam if applicable, which means that the Agent must be aware of any transfer of ownership of sires for which they manage semen. Note: the Society cannot register pups to the new owner of the sire without the authorisation in a) above. The Agent should be sure that the Authorisation held clarifies the rights to use the owner's name in the event of death.
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