The German Shepherd Dog (GSD) breed here in Great Britain has entered the most controversial and crucial period in its history. With the Kennel Club refusing to listen to reason and obviously conducting a public campaign to discredit our noble GSD breed in favour of the totally incorrect Alsatian. The Kennel Club fully co-operated in “Trial by Television” on our GSD Best of Breed at Crufts 2010, causing insult and injury to the dog’s passionate and dedicated owner, as well as the respected and experienced Judge, who incidentally was selected and appointed by the Kennel Club precisely because he is a knowledgeable, experienced and well respected GSD specialist Judge. 

Caroline Kisko, the Secretary of the Kennel Club conducted herself in a disgraceful manner in the televised interview with Claire Balding. This interview all too obviously appeared to be contrived. The programmes producers and Claire Balding should be ashamed that they allowed themselves and their programme to abuse and offend the GSD B.O.B. its owner, the GSD Judge and the whole GSD breed in such a public manner. The Kennel Club should now seriously consider SACKING Caroline Kisko for her part in this fiasco, and issue a sincere public apology to the owner of the GSD B.O.B. the GSD Judge and to our GSD breed, through our breed clubs. The Kennel Club should also formally notify the More4 television company that they must NEVER play any part in this type of offensive behaviour in any future Crufts television programmes.

Caroline Kisko should have supported the Crufts GSD Judge and enlightened Claire Balding as to her NOT being the appointed Judge and NOT having any GSD expertise comparable with the GSD Judge, simply telling her she should keep any such opinions to herself. Of course this was never going to happen as it clearly would not fit the Kennel Club’s and Caroline Kisko’s customary "spin" against the GSD breed. 

By this single act the Kennel Club now appear as “unfit to hold dog shows”. By their unfair and unrelenting campaign against the GSD breed, the Kennel Club illustrate at best grossly irresponsible behaviour and spin, and at worst grotesque xenophobia against the German National Breed’ the German Shepherd Dog. 

The time has surely arrived for all pedigree dog breed clubs to start making alternative arrangements to exhibit their dogs, in a similar way that the GSD breed are progressing, arrangements that will EXCLUDE the Kennel Club and their lack of meaningful mandatory health screening. 

Surely there is diminishing incentive in trying to hold onto something which is as damaged and outdated as the Kennel Club’s show scene, which is in an obvious state of decay. The Kennel Club have pilloried the GSD breed in an unrelenting manner, completely disregarding and, worse still, disrespecting the very important and fundamental role of the Kennel Club licensed breed clubs, when they deal with any aspect of an individual breed. 

Every Kennel Club licensed breed club and every Kennel Club approved Championship Show Judge must now be very seriously concerned about exactly what has happened between the Kennel Club and the GSD breed over recent months, culminating in this abhorrent “Trial by Television” interview conducted by Claire Balding and Caroline Kisko, in total disrespect of the GSD B.O.B. and the GSD Judge. 

At this point I would inform readers that the owner of this dog is justifiably distraught. and, although the 'stage-managed' damage has been done, the very least that the Kennel Club, Caroline Kisko and the Television Company should do is to give her a profuse public apology - and Claire Balding should also apologise for allowing herself to be duped into participating in this obviously contrived piece of film.

The victimised GSD B.O.B. at Crufts 2010 has successfully completed all his Health Checks, has excellent Hip and Elbow ratings, has not only completed his Schutzhund title but has also passed a very thorough Breed Survey and a 20km gaiting Endurance Test (AD) which he had no problem in achieving. 

If only ALL Crufts winners could be so well health screened !!! 

Caroline Kisko certainly picked on the wrong dog, and the Kennel Club are victimising the wrong Breed, a breed who are responsible for instigating many of the Health Screenings currently available and for lobbying the Kennel Club (unsuccessfully !) for many years to make these health screenings mandatory.

For our efforts we have been stone-walled by Clarges Street and are now being treated in a disgusting fashion with all the considerable SPIN that the Kennel Club can muster. 

It is surely appropriate and necessary for each and every Kennel Club licensed breed club secretary and Kennel Club approved Championship Show judge, to write to the Kennel Club expressing their disgust with this “Trial by Television”, and demand the sacking of “Kisko” and a profuse public apology to the dog’s owner and the judge. 

Judges appointed for any future CRUFTS Show should demand assurances from the Kennel Club that nothing like this will ever be allowed to happen again. 

I call on the Kennel Club "General Committee" to grasp these important issues and make the necessary decisions. 

Sincerely 

David Payne
Videx GSD

The More4 Crufts TV programme had only a three-minute segment on health, most of which was on the German Shepherd. A breed that has never been slow to test for health problems, in fact led the way on hip testing.

Lagos the GSD featured recently passed his Schutzhund 3 in Germany- an incredibly physically demanding police style obedience test, has had his elbows and hips scored, has had DNA tests, other blood tests, has successfully completed a 20km endurance test. There are no dogs repeated in his 5 generation pedigree - no obvious inbreeding.

Why pick on this dog in an item summing up the health problems in pedigree dogs - in an item that also talks in almost the same breath of an eye problem so painful that dogs have to have their eyes removed?

Why no footage of dogs that have scientifically-proven serious and life-limiting proven health problems rather than just a topline that the KC finds painful to look at even though it seems not to impede in any way the dogs from doing extremely physical tasks, much more demanding than running up and down on a piece of green carpet!

David

Why don’t more GSD people put in Ofcom complaints? Perhaps you should encourage it? Doesn’t cost anything and they have to investigate each complaint they receive.

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/complain/progs/

And here’s the broadcasting code:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/ifi/codes/bcode/

This section of the broadcasting code may apply
Section 7: Fairness
7.11  If a programme alleges wrongdoing or incompetence or makes other significant allegations, those concerned should normally be given an appropriate and timely opportunity to respond.

Plus this link may be of interest, on defamation:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/journalism/law/defamation/defamation-meaning-and-reputation.shtml

And this one, too. As it was the presenter leading the defamation it would seem the usual defences didn’t stand up.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/journalism/law/defamation/defamation-defences-live-broadcast.shtml

I’d think a free consult with a solicitor would reveal the relative strength of your position

The fact that all You Tube links to the clip seem to have been taken down suggests to me they have received legal advice and they are doing some damage limitation.