It has become apparent that a very distressing injustice has been done and needs to be resolved as a matter of Urgency. On the 24/11/19 Emma Grace Bone became aware that Ron, one of her treasured puppies, had been handed over to The Newfoundland Club UK Welfare by Tony Brooke, the highly vetted owner of Ron who also handed over another Newfoundland he owned on the 23/11. Less than 24hrs later Ron was rehomed without having been assessed. As is standard practice, a contract was signed between Emma and the new owner of Ron. Amongst these conditions is a stipulation that if at any time the owner can no longer keep the dog, it is to be returned to the breeder only. I’ve owned Giant Breed dogs for nearly 30yrs, all purchased under contract from “reputable breeders” and recommended by yourselves, The Kennel Club under the “ASSURED BREEDER SCHEME” 

Emma has had communications with Mr Brooke recently when he decided that he was no longer able to offer them the care they needed, it was agreed that Ron along with the other Newfoundland would be returned to Emma. She had offered to take BOTH dogs and keep them together at her wonderful home as the owner was too upset by the thought of them being separated. He later changed his mind saying he couldn’t part with them.

On Friday we all became aware of what can only be described as the most sinister and underhand events involving the Welfare division of TNC.

Ron along with his brother were handed over to The Newfoundland Club Welfare and transported by a woman by the name of Kathy who works for Welfare at TNC. Ron is an 8mth old unneutered male. No attempt was made to contact Emma, the breeder, during this time either by the owner or TNC who Emma is well known to. Her dogs are of exceptional quality and frequently win their classes in breed shows.

Emma is understandably distraught. Her dogs are incredibly loved, part of the family, and a great deal of love and care is put into producing such beautiful dogs and in vetting potential owners as they are very precious to her. She keeps in touch with all her dogs owners and has puppy reunions with all the families. For one of her puppies to be handed over to welfare with no communication whatsoever from TNC is inconceivable. The dog was subsequently given to Kathy rather than contacting Emma for her to collect him. A simple phone call would have resolved this situation immediately.

THE NEWFOUNDLAND CLUB’S Breeders Charter States : 

“17. Be prepared to take back and either keep or re-home stock bred by me, only using the Breed Welfare Schemes as a last resort.”

THE NEWFOUNDLAND CLUB UK welfare page states:

”It might come as a surprise to the general dog owning public that a creature as wonderful as a Newfoundland should ever need “rescuing” or redoing. In an ideal world, they would be right! A “reputable breeder” WANTS to remain responsible for each one of their “puppies” for the rest of their lives-irrespective of whether that “puppy” is by then 7 or 9 or 11yrs old! Many breeders have a contract with their puppy purchasers to reinforce this responsibility, this protects the health and quality of the breed ensuring they do not fall in the wrong hands. So, when a dog needs a new home, the owner contacts the breeder (with whom they will probably have had years of contact via emails, letters, photos and phone calls) and the reforming of that dog is dealt with by the person who (lovingly) brought that dog into the world.”

Emma’s contracts contain this clause as it is one of the many conditions expected of breeders by the Kennel Club and also because she cares and loves her puppies like her own even once they are with their new families. Any unwanted puppies no matter what age, she has back within her home to ensure they are safe and not passed onto a complete unvetted stranger.

We and Emma have been told by TNC that the puppy contract that is signed at the time of collecting the puppy, requesting the return of the puppy to the breeder if the owner no longer can provide for it, along with many other clauses such as breeding restrictions and no right to export, is literally not worth the paper its written on or legally binding!! These conditions are put in place to protect the dog and the Breed. Breeders like Emma put love, time and a lot of money into breeding dogs very carefully to improve the quality, health and beauty of the breed.

I own two Newfoundlands myself, previously St Bernards. They are wonderful breeds, we are all deeply disturbed and upset by these events when it would have taken a simple phone call for Ron to be back in his rightful home with the person who brought him into this world. To say Emma is heartbroken is putting it lightly, she is absolutely beside herself. She is being kept in the dark about everything, she doesn’t know the woman who has him now, she doesn’t know where he is, if he is healthy, hurt, anxious, she has been deliberately and maliciously kept in the dark. She found out about the situation purely by chance and was absolutely devastated to find out that just a few days ago he was handed over to breed welfare and rehomed with MINUTES of being signed over.

The woman who now has him is in fact Kathy, the woman who collected him and she intends to keep him. In fact the Newfoundland Club have said that they will fund her legal battle if necessary using Club Welfare funds to fight Emma. Money donated by people for them to be able to help and rehome rescue dogs. The Newfoundland Club promotes breeder contracts and even has a rule for their members in their handbook that all breeders MUST be willing to take back a dog that they have bred so as to not put any extra strain on the welfare system. To even consider using donated money intended for welfare purposes to fight Emma for ownership of her own dog beggars belief.

This was clearly planned as it was executed with such speed presumably to ensure that Emma would not have the opportunity to have him returned to her. The other dog was put into temporary foster care. As soon as Emma found out about the situation she contacted TNC immediately only to be lied to. She was never contacted about Ron, there were plenty of opportunities for this to happen, before he was picked up, once he arrived a TNC. This very clearly a deliberate act of theft of a valuable breeding male! He was very quickly and quietly given to the woman who works in welfare without papers or any of the very important restrictions placed on his record which constitutes theft as Emma is his rightful owner, he was not a rescue dog.

They knew when they received him that he was a “NEWFANGLED”  puppy. Ron was not a rescue that needed welfare or rehoming, he is a much loved purebred unneutered male puppy who should have been returned to Emma immediately no questions asked, something that The Newfoundland Club have deliberately ignored.

We are appealing to you to intervene in this case and ensure that the Kennel Clubs guidelines along with those of The Newfoundland Club are followed and Ron can be returned to his breeder as soon as possible. This poor boy much be very confused now he has been not only taken from his home but he has also been separated from his brother, something that would never have happened if the correct procedures were followed.