This year's All India All Breeds Championship Dog Show, an annual national dog show organised by the Canine Club of Cochin, at Bolgatty Palace grounds boasted of 283 dogs of 35 breeds from various states.
“This was the 17-18th annual championship organised by the club. The club, formed in the 80s, has made such a show a regular annual affair since 2009. It is not just about organising the show, but about creating awareness, about breeding and ensuring that the dogs in India are of a good quality breed," says Richard Stanley Luiz, General Secretary of Canine Club of Cochin.
The club uses the proceeds from the show to run anti-rabies campaigns and free vaccination camps.
“We regularly organise campaigns every three months in the city. This time we were able to provide free vaccination for over 270 dogs from different parts of the city in a single day. We visited four different parts of the city, person ally going to localities with our own veterinary doctors led by Dr Sunil Kumar. A one-year validity certificate is also issued after the vaccination," he adds.
Richard says that the way most pet shops deal with dogs is dreadful.
“Most of them have no idea about proper breeding and end up destroying a breed. Also, Indian varieties like Chippiparai, Rajapalayam and Caravan Hound have no set standards at the international levels unlike the Irish, German and English breeds. We formulate standards for these breeds and get them approved so that there is a set quality against which we can compare Indian breeds," he says.
