JACBA V12i1_Winter_2008 pages 3-50.pub

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The Art of Registering Your Cavy
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by Sheryl Newland
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Whether you are new to the cavy fancy, or an experienced breeder
who has never registered your stock, just how does one go about
finding out the how-to's and why-fors? A good place to start is page
269 of the current 2007-2008 ARBA Yearbook. Let's go through
the eleven requirements listed there and discuss them a little more in
depth. (Bold wording is A RBA ’s, as referenced on pages 269-270
of the 2007-2008 ARBA Yearbook.)
1. All rabbits and cavies shall be registered by licensed registrars and must be of a standard breed and variety recognized
by this association. Did you also know all judges can also r egister your cavies? They are required to keep their license current
along with their judge's license, but not all judges carry registration
forms with them, so be sure to ask before you head off to the show.
Also, please note that only the animal being registered must be of a
recognized breed and variety. The ancestors do not have to be the
same variety, or even of a recognized color. They do have to be of
the same breed, however. For instance, say I had a broken American, a black/cream/white, I wanted registered. All animals on the
pedigree have to be Americans, but what if one great-grandparent
was a saffron/white broken? Saffron is not an ARBA recognized
variety, is this animal still registerable? Yes!
2. A complete pedigree showing at least three generations of
animals of the same breed must be provided with the animal to
be registered. Please note: the data on each animal must be
complete, including weights. If I get a pedigree with missing
weights, I often ask the owner of the cavy to contact the breeders of
the cavies in question and ask to get them. Sometimes, if they do
not know who they are, I even contact them and try to get the information myself. Must all animals on the pedigree be showable? No.
Only the animal being presented for registration. So, that senior
sow who was bred too young and never made senior weight can still
be on a pedigree for a registerable cavy? Yes. Or that White Crested who came out of an unshowable parent is still okay as well.
3. Registrars are required to examine each animal to determine
that the animal is free of disqualifications, to verify the private
ear number, and to weigh the animal on an accurate scale. Note
that previous DQ's that may have disappeared (abscess, eye infection, cold, etc.) do not affect a future registration. Only how the
animal is on the day of registration is what matters.
seen 2 in the last 20 years anyway......ouch)!
7. The name of the animal may not exceed 30 characters, including spaces and
punctuation. This is for the computer
program requirements, no doubt. Now, a
question often arises occasionally on the
choice of a name: Does the person who is
having the cavy registered HAVE to put the breeder's name in the
official name of the cavy? The answer is, no, they do not. I encourage people to do so as it gives respect to the original breeder, but
they can refuse if they desire. Does the breeder have any recourse if
they learn about this at a later date? No. The owner at the time of
registration decides (I believe the only way to do so would be to buy
it back, transferring it, and then doing it).
8. The recorded weight of an animal may be changed after the
animal is officially registered. The weight change must be certified by a Registrar. A change fee of $2 with Registrar's Statement must be remitted to the ARBA office. Now, why would
this be necessary, you might be asking yourself? Well, let's say you
have an animal you have used for breeding, it weighs only 34 oz.
and is six and a half months old, and you wish to sell it soon. You
Register it, it get's sold (and the Registration is transferred to the
new owner), and then he grows a considerable amount in the next 5
months. Do you really want his official weight to stay at 34 oz?
Probably not. You most likely would like the more accurate weight
of 3 lbs. 3 oz. to be noted if you planned on registering his offspring.
9. Information on registrations is confidential and may not be
copied without the consent of the owner of record. I must admit
I am not sure about this one.
10. The merit system of registration. In recognition of registering an animal on the pedigree, when the sire and dam of the
registered animal are both registered, a red merit seal will appear on the certificate. When the grand sires and grand dams,
as well as the sire and dam are all registered, a red and white
merit seal will appear on the certificate. When all fourteen animals on the pedigree are registered, a red, white, and blue seal
will appear. If all fourteen are Grand Champions, the certificate will receive a gold star. Note: This is not as easy as it
sounds! It took me four years to get a red, white, and blue seal, and
I have never gotten another).
4. Rabbits & cavies must meet all senior requirements of their
respective breed. This means over six months of age and over
32 oz. for cavies. Does it mean you cannot cut the hair of a long- 11. Each registration will be recorded and an official Certifihaired breed for breeding purposes and still register it? No. As cate of Registration will be furnished to the owner.
long as it makes weight and age, that is all that is required. No mention of hair length is mentioned.
The following instructions to Registrars come from the registration
5. All rabbits and cavies must be at least six months of age.
packet forms all registrars must buy from the ARBA.
This is pretty self-explanatory. Many people forget to check, as
their lines may grow large early on, and they tend to think of them
1. Ask for a current ARBA membership card. You must see it
as senior because they make weight. This is probably one of the
in person, no Xeroxed or faxed copies. Another way to register an
most common mistakes people make while trying to get a cavy reganimal for someone who is not yet a member of ARBA is to accept
istered. Check those birthdates first!
their membership form and payment before you register it, then
6. Cavies have to have a permanent tag in the left ear. Please send it in along with the registration as proof of their intent to benote: tattooed ears are no longer acceptable for cavies. (I have only come a member (simply staple it to the front of the registration). If
JACBA V12—I1
Winter - 2008 Page 34
SAMPLE FORM ONLY.
NOT FOR LEGAL USE.
SAMPLE FORM ONLY.
NOT FOR LEGAL USE.
SAMPLE FORM ONLY.
NOT FOR LEGAL USE.
SAMPLE FORM ONLY.
NOT FOR LEGAL USE.
JACBA V12—I1
Winter - 2008 Page 35
for some reason they are not accepted as a member, then they would
decline the registration. If the animal is co-owned, list names of all
owners. A caviary name may only be inserted if it appears on
the membership card. All owners must be members (of ARBA).
Ima registration
tag. I am put in
the right ear.
2. Check pedigree - Be sure animal is at least six months old
and that all three generations are complete showing animals of
the same breed. Her e is wher e it states that not all need to be
recognized varieties, just the breed. The word "import" is not acceptable (it was in the past). The data on each animal in the
background must be complete, including weights. As a favor to
all future registered animals, please record weights on your pedigrees, (if you keep them)!
And Ima just a
regular tag...
3. Check animal thoroughly. Animal must be free of all disqualifications from competition. Check for specific breed DQ's
as well as general DQ's from competition. Example: required
ear length, eye color, markings. Refer to Standard of Perfection
if necessary.
4. Weigh the animal with an accurate scale. Recor d weight in
pounds and ounces using a decimal. Example: 2.02 or 2.08 translates into 34 or 40 oz. respectively. Note: cavies need to be over 32
oz. as a senior weight minimum. That means if you write 2.00 then
it is not over 32 oz.
5. Complete Registration application by clearly printing or typing. Sever al cautions: fill in the blank " var iety" with the exact
color (this is new!). Do not list groups. No unrecognized varieties
may be registered. If for some reason the name is left blank, ARBA
will use the private ear number as the name. Also, it is not necessary to fill in any data in the pedigree portion of the registration
application behind a cavy that is already registered. All information
for non-registered animals must be complete, including a name or
identifying number (not just an owner or caviary name), variety, ear
number, and weight. It used to be that if you had a broken cavy,
they did not want the exact colors listed. Now that has changed.
So, if you register a golden agouti/red/white or a black/cream/white,
list these colors.
I wanna be
registered
too!!!!!!
Sorry, kid, but you
gotta be a real cavy.
I swear hear
voices again...
6. Verify the registration data - When the application is completed, the owner is to proofread it, and they must sign the affirmation on the bottom of the form. You may have another person fill in the pedigree information of the application if you
wish, as long as you verify it (sometimes I have the owner do
this, but I always instruct them first on how to record the weights
and colors).
The following information is in the registrar’s packet of
registration forms detailing new rules concerning the stapling of a
pedigree to the form to be sent to the ARBA:
Attaching a Pedigree to a New Application
* New beginning July 1, 2007, Registration applications
may attach a pedigree in lieu of hand writing it if:
1) It must be a full sized (8.5 x 11") legible copy-as the copy
is not returned, it becomes a permanent part of the animal's record.
2) Pedigree must be typed or computer generated. No
hand-written pedigrees!
3) Pedigree must be stapled back-to-back against the application in two locations: left and right of center. Do not staple
along the bottom (staple it so when the application is turned over,
the info can be immediately read).
4) The Registrar must verify that the attached pedigree is
for the animal listed on the application, that it is complete (as is
currently required of all applications) showing three generations of
the same breed.
5) Registrar must sign or initial pedigree affirming they
have verified the registration requirements.
6) Owner must sign the pedigree affirming they have verified the required elements. Please note: where it says Registrar's
name/membership code, it means ARBA membership number, not
your judge's license.
7. Tattoo/Registration number. Rabbits may have tattoos, cavies must have the registration tag attached in the right ear at time of
registration.
And I’m a
membership card.
Megan Rygel with basic requirements of registration: qualifying guinea pig
that is senior weight and age, six dollars, pedigree, and current ARBA memPHOTO PROVIDED COURTESY OF SHERYL NEWLAND
bership card.
JACBA V12—I1
8. Send completed original (white copy) to ARBA within 15
days of registration. The r egistr ar keeps one copy for their r ecords for at least one year, and the third copy is for the owner of the
animal registered (they are back to triplicate forms). This is important in case the ARBA makes a mistake in spelling, or ear tag
number, etc., which can, and does happen occasionally. If it is their
Winter - 2008 Page 36
mistake, they will correct it free of charge. If the mistake is that of
the owner, then it incurs a $2 fee. Changes to a name of a registered
cavy will not be allowed, unless the change reflects additions to the
name and/or corrections to the name. Situations where this would
merit changes would be misspellings, the addition of a breeder's
name, or inclusion of a name where previously it was known by its
private ear tag number. If you lose your registration paper or it is
somehow destroyed, you may get a replacement for $2. Changes in
the date of birth may be submitted by the owner (I do not get this
one, shouldn't it only be allowed by the original breeder?). Cost is
$2. Some changes need to be verified by a Registrar, especially if
there is a change in breed, sex, variety, ear number, or weight. It
does not have to be the original Registrar if this happens. The owner must provide the cavy, copy of three generation pedigree, and the
erroneous registration certificate. The registrar will examine the
animal against the paperwork provided and make any changes on
the registration certificate. They must sign their name, put the rechecked date, state their Registrar's License number, and return the
certificate to ARBA for correcting. Corrections are free, reprints
$2.
10. If an application is ruined or lost - A replacement may be
obtained by sending the registration number's to the ARBA,
and $2 each per copy to be replaced.
11. Corrections (see pr evious note on number 8). Impor tant
point here: Under no circumstance is an animal to be re-registered to
reflect changes or corrections. So, if your cavy rips out his registration tag, there is no recourse. It just stays that way!
12. Inform the owners that if an animal is registered as being
owned or co-owned by an adult, it may not compete in a youth
sanctioned show (unless it is sold and the tr ansfer of owner ship
recorded). This is tracked for Grand Champion status.
13. Registrars must provide their name and membership code
(not license number) on all applications.
If there are further questions about registering your cavies,
please email [email protected] or phone M-F, 8-4:30 CST:
(309) 664-7500.
I hope this has helped take some of the mystery out of registering
your cavies. Good luck and happy registering!
9. Collect $6 for each animal registered. The cost of 10 for ms is
$30 and the Registrar has to buy these ahead of time.
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A
ACBA Online Registration Survey
compiled by Heather Baskey
Survey results and comments are based on questions posed on the ARBA Registration System. This survey was shared with the ACBA
online members. There were 75 anonymous respondents in total.
JACBA V12—I1
Winter - 2008 Page 37
Pro Registration:
"Better system than AKC as animals are actually examined for DQ
by a registrar before they can be registered."
"I totally agree with registering all my animals and will do so asap.
Great benefit for me and future breeders to be able to track the
bloodlines. I would love to buy registered animals and hope others
will feel the same as soon as they realize all the benefits."
Indifferent to Registration:
"Most people don't care if there animals are registered. It doesn't
seem to make the animals more valuable so why do it!"
"The registration requirements make it difficult for some of us to
pursue our cavy license. There is often not enough eligible pigs in
some areas for someone to register and this creates a long certification process in some areas of the country."
"Any show with an ACBA sanction should try to have a cavy registrar available at the show. It's not always possible, time wise, for
the judge to do registrations too. If you want registrars available
let the show sponsors know and be sure you will have cavies there
for the registrar. It's always best to plan ahead and contact people
ahead of time to be sure they will be available and have enough
forms etc."
"Why is it that there is always a rabbit registrar available at shows
" I register rabbits but not cavies. Cavies do not have enough mone- but not always a cavy registrar? It takes me forever to get animals
tary value to justify the time and expense of pedigrees and registra- registered because of this. I think every show should have one on
hand for registering."
tion."
Registration Issues:
One More Comment on Cavy Registrations:
"I would LIKE to register more cavies, esp. a recent grand champion, but no one nearby has the proper forms and/or cares
(Minnesota)."
"I think registration of the animals is overrated. More emphasis in
my opinion should be placed on the animal presented and the
breeder of that animal. Not just if some paper documentation can be
acquired. People that are around the fancy for years and years and
continue to do well on the tables and in the breeding pens are more
important to the fancy and to the perfection of the standard than
some paper stating that the pig is of true lines."
"Why is it that there is always a rabbit registrar available at shows
but not always a cavy registrar? It takes me forever to get animals
registered because of this. I think every show should have one on
hand for registering."
JACBA V12—I1
Winter - 2008 Page 38
What About Registering With Satin
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by Karla Casebolt
A Carriers in the Line?
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Several years back when I was quite new to the fancy, I set a personal goal that, within five years, all the animals kept for my breeding program would be registered. Seniors that lacked the qualifications for registration would eventually be culled, and only babies
that were registration prospects would remain.
At that time I raised just Broken and TSW Americans, so
this seemed a realistic goal, as I was determined to keep only show
quality animals for my program. Along the way, I ended up keeping
some sows for breeding that had DQ’d markings, such as a small
spot of red color that qualified it as neither a TSW nor a Broken.
Because of the other fine qualities they possessed, I was confident
they would add value to my program, so I kept them. Indeed, they
served their purpose and produced high quality showable babies. It
was darned hard to justify getting rid of them, even though their
markings prevented them from being registered.
About two years ago, my breeding program hit a crossroads. An exceptionally nice American Satin Broken boar was born
out of a pair of American Brokens. The fact he was satin was of no
surprise to me as I knew the satin gene ran in my line. I decided to
keep him, primarily because it gave me a lovely animal to show in a
breed other than American. During his brief show career, the boar
did very well and went on to receive multiple Best of Breed wins. I
was hooked on American Satins. The registration goal was now in
Jim Hupp checking for DQ’s on a Coronet.
PHOTO BY ROBERT SPITZER
question. Either I use my American stock to
produce satins and satin carriers, or purchase
stock from others to create a separate satin
line, so that I could continue working towards my registration goal. It took little time
for me to decide that it was senseless to start
the satin line from outside stock, when I had
the right ingredients in my own herd to produce them. The decision meant the demise of my registration goal;
however, I gained far more than I lost. That American Satin Broken
boar went on to produce my most successful show animals to date.
The decision to register cavies is strictly personal, and in
my experience, is primarily a way to meet individual goals rather
than add value to cavies. When it comes to producing show quality
babies, registered animals have so far added no measurable value to
the breeding program than non-registered animals. People buy from
me based on the qualities of a particular animal, or they request a
baby out of a cavy that performed really well on the show table.
Whether the cavy is registered, or has registered parents, seems to
be a non-issue with buyers and has never affected the sale amount
of a cavy. Pedigrees, on the other hand, are almost always requested.
As much as I support the registration of cavies, it has
demonstrated to me to be an act of personal choice, rather than one
of value to either the herd quality or the babies produced from them.
SAVE THE DATE!!!!
NYS Cavy Fanciers/Ontario Cavy Club
Triple Show
And after the
show, I wanna be
REGISTERED.
Me too!
Me too!
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Rochester, New York
MORE INFORMATION IN
THE NEXT JACBA
Lightshine Cavies
KSJ CAVIES
Kathy, Stephanie & Jessica
Edie
Winner of 3 ARBA Convention Best in Show s
and 4 Reserve in Shows
Abyssinian Brindle and Roan
Peruvian and Silkie Broken, TSW, Black, Blue Roan
American Self Black
Robert Spitzer
Located in Highland, MI
ARBA Cavy Judge #831
442 S. Cochise Ave.
Willcox, Arizona 85643
Specializing in Texels, Americans,
Abyssinians
And the lovely hairless Skinny Pigs
Phone: 520-384-3969
Email: [email protected]
JACBA V12—I1
Phone: 248 431-8032
Winter - 2008 Page 39
E-mail us at: [email protected]
Visit our web site: www.ksjcavies.com