Birth Notification
COBA requests members to submit birth notifications of all puppies from a litter – regardless of whether they will be sold with a view to be registered as pets, in any of the other registers, or had died. This is important for database and breed development programmes.
Breeders must submit birth notifications via the VCMS Portal
The whole litter must be recorded simultaneously within 1-60 days after birth. The birth registration fee increases substantially for notifications received after 60 days.
A puppy will be birth registered only if the breeder and owner dogs are both parents registered with COBA, their DNA profiles are on record, and it has been microchipped (number required). Without these information the registration (and transfer of ownership if applicable) will not be processed.
The birth certificate will be available on the VCMS Portal for download. Prospective buyers should request proof from breeders that dogs have been – or will be - birth registered to ensure they will receive the required documentation, and be eligible for breeding at the qualifying age (12 months minimum).
Breeding
To register as a breeder, a member must own at least one COBA registered female and have been allocated a unique prefix (stud or kennel) name.
COBA requires - among others - that:
Only healthy dogs be used for breeding.
- Breeding dogs are not younger than 12 (twelve) months of age.
- Breeding stock are tested for hereditary genetic diseases prior to breeding.
- Mating Certificate on the VCMS Portal is submitted if the male used for stud services does not belong to the breeder.
- To obtain birth certificates of offsprings, DNA profiles of both parents are record, and such offspring have microchips, DNA profiled and Parentage Verified.
- Breeders ensure/undertake that buyers receive all documentation when dogs leave their premises. These include: birth notifications/registration certificates, transfer of ownership confirmation, inoculation, health and microchip certificates, the codes of conduct, a sales agreement, guarantees and transport or export permits - where applicable.