Ethics Code
_I recognize that as a breeder I have a responsibility to protect and preserve fancy rats, and to insure the welfare of the animals that I sell, produce, breed, and own. I therefore subscribe to the following code of ethics.
General Ethics
- To provide for each animal in my care an environment which meets their physical, emotional, and psychological needs. This includes adequate living conditions, correct nutrition, proper bedding, and needed health care.
- To promote and encourage responsible pet ownership.
- To begin and further a study which increases my knowledge of the science of breeding Fancy Rats.
- To maintain an interest in all animals which I sell and arrange for the return/placement of an animal of my breeding which is in need or no longer wanted.
Breeding Ethics
- To be familiar with and knowledgeable of the standard for those varieties which I choose to breed, including proper coat, color, conformation, and temperament, and to use that standard as a goal in striving to improve the variety with every breeding.
- To breed only animals which are sexually mature, in good health, and are free from hereditary defects, parasitic infestation, poor temperaments, and communicable disease.
- To be knowledgeable about the effects and consequences of mycoplasma as a disease, and until such a time as we acquire a method for controlling or eliminating this disease, breeding with the goal of producing an animal which is mycoplasma resistant.
- To be knowledgeable about the causes of tumor growth in rats and to breed with the aim of producing an animal which is not genetically predisposed to this condition.
- To discontinue the breeding of animals who consistently produce offspring who have a defect or disorder which is detrimental to the animals' well-being, or temperaments which make them unsuitable as companion animals.
- To provide a pregnant doe and the resulting pups with the housing, nutrition, and care necessary to meet their physical, emotional, and psychological needs.
- To assure that every animal produced has the necessary temperament to make it a suitable companion animal.
Selling Ethics
- To not sell or otherwise place rat pups less than 5 weeks of age.
- To consciously seek the best possible homes for animals which I place or sell.
- To sell only healthy animals who are sound in temperament and free from parasites.
- To stand behind the condition and quality of all animals as represented at the time of sale.
- To be sure the buyer is fully informed when selling an animal which has a known defect, health, or other physical condition or serious deviation from the standard.
- To never knowingly sell a pregnant doe without fully disclosing the fact to the buyer.
- To take responsibility for any offspring produced by a doe which was unknowingly pregnant when sold.
- To take back or find a home for any animal whose placement is not successful.
- To provide to a purchaser full instructions on feeding, housing, and general care.
- To provide the new owner with ongoing support and assistance with problems that may arise.
- When selling an animal to a novice breeder or fancier as breeding or show-quality stock, to provide support, advice, education, and guidance to assist them in achieving their goals.