AKC Regarding Investigations & Complaints

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AKC Regarding Investigations & Complaints

Submitted by admin on April 20, 2010 - 8:21pm

Archived Bulldog Showing Competition

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After reading some of the posts last week about AKC and Kennel Inspections, Complaints, ect. I felt they were incorrect so I called and spoke to AKC in their Investigations Dept.
The following is the information regarding the guidelines they follow:

1. Kennel Inspections:
IF you breed over 7 litters a year, you may be inspected.
IF you have 20 to 25 transactions within a year, you may be inspected.
Any of the above can be viewed as excessive and they do raise a Red Flag. This does not mean that the person being investigated has committed an infraction but it is the limit AKC has a adopted as a Rule of Thumb.
You may be investigated at random depending on the time allotments of the Inspectors. They employ 15 and each covers roughly 3 states.

2. Complaints:
You Cannot pick up the phone and make a complaint. There is no Red Flag for this action. While it is always easier to blame others when a situation with AKC occurs, unless a written complaint is sent in that includes:

A. The senders information including name, address and phone number,
B. Proof that something has occurred that is against AKC Rules & Regulations and other Governing material or proof being obtained through a court of law in regards to AKC policy. If one has won a lawsuit against another exhibitor or club member then based on the Rules & Regulations and other Governing material, you can then file a complaint with AKC for action. Proof can be obtained in many other ways but with a court case, AKC will usually take action. You cannot make a charge without providing AKC proof that the infraction has occured.
C. The person you are reporting name, address and Phone Number.
Without this they WILL disregard your phone call and inform you of the above requirements.

3. Behavior at AKC Events
Many complaints occur in conjunction with an AKC event. These type of complaints must be given to the Show Secretary or Show Chairman during the event. You cannot later go back and attempt to lodge a complaint after the Show Secretary has filed her paperwork with AKC.

If all of the above is not included, AKC will take no action.
AKC will often give the person being investigated a copy of the original complaint.
This information is then investigated and if the person/kennel is in fact not adhering to the Rules & Regulations and other Governing material then this information is given to the Heads of that Dept. and they make the call as far as how the matter proceeds.
Be aware that anyone can file a complaint, not just the injured party.
For those who become angry when someone does file a complaint? No need to worry if your actions are in line with AKC Policy. If they are not? Then you have no one to blame other than yourself.
Anyone interested, and all should be, can go to the AKC website and read the Rules & Regulations and all other Governing material.

Best Regards,
Larry Grissom