Ethical Considerations

Armstrong K9 Registry exists to celebrate and preserve purpose-bred dogs through accurate record-keeping. We take an unapologetic stance against puppy mills and indiscriminate volume-breeding. Every member of the Registry is expected to uphold the standards below.

1. Responsible breeding first

• Breed only dogs that are physically sound, temperamentally stable, and of appropriate age.
• Maintain a plan for every puppy produced — do not breed without confirmed, qualified homes or personal retention capacity.
• Space litters to prioritise the dam's health. Females should have adequate recovery between litters, and should not be bred on every heat cycle.
• Retire dams and sires at an age consistent with breed-specific veterinary guidance.

2. Health screening

• Health test both sire and dam for the hereditary conditions known to occur in the breed (e.g. OFA / PennHIP for hips and elbows, relevant DNA panels, cardiac, ophthalmologic, thyroid where indicated).
• Record results honestly in the Registry's Health tab. Test results are permanent — editing or deleting them to obscure a poor result is a violation of these Terms.
• Disclose known hereditary risks to every prospective puppy buyer in writing.

3. Welfare standards

• Provide adequate shelter, nutrition, exercise, socialisation, and veterinary care.
• Never tether or crate dogs for prolonged periods.
• Ensure puppies remain with their dam and littermates until at least 8 weeks (10+ weeks for small/toy breeds where appropriate).
• Provide puppies with age-appropriate early neurological stimulation, socialisation, and vet checks prior to placement.

4. Honest representation

• Pedigree records you upload must be truthful. Do not register ancestors you cannot substantiate.
• Use our Pedigree Additions review queue for ancestors you don't have direct documentation for — they require admin review.
• Do not misrepresent breed, color, or titles.
• Use of the "AST" registration number in advertising must reflect an active, unrevoked record.

5. Ownership transfers

• Transfers must only occur with the genuine consent of both seller and buyer.
• Include a written contract covering health guarantee, return-to-breeder clause, and spay/neuter expectations where applicable.
• Report suspected fraudulent transfers via our Contact Us form.

6. Anti-cruelty commitment

The Registry reserves the right to suspend or permanently remove any member whose conduct is credibly reported as abusive, neglectful, or in violation of state or federal animal-welfare law. We cooperate with law enforcement when presented with a lawful request.

7. No tolerance for discrimination

Members must engage with other breeders, buyers, and administrators in a respectful, non-discriminatory manner. Harassment of any kind is grounds for immediate suspension.

8. The Dog's Voice — community standards

The Dog's Voice, our in-app social feed, is held to the same ethical bar as the rest of the Registry. We expect:

• Celebrate, don't tear down. The Dog's Voice is for sharing milestones, work, and life with our dogs — not for public attacks on other breeders, kennels, or owners.
• No politics or divisive off-topic content. Posts unrelated to dogs and breeding (elections, partisan issues, religion, social-media outrage) will be removed regardless of which side they take.
• No negativity campaigns. Coordinated negativity, pile-ons, or "subtweet" posts targeting other members are treated as harassment and enforced under Section 7 above.
• Truthfulness. Don't post unverified claims about other kennels' health testing, lineage, or business practices. Honest disputes belong in the Contact-Admin process, not on the feed.
• Respect privacy. Don't post other members' real names, addresses, phone numbers, or family details without consent. Don't share private DMs or transfer paperwork screenshots.
• Use the Report button. If you see a post that violates these standards, tap Report. Don't engage publicly — that tends to amplify the harm.

Section 5 of the Terms of Service contains the full, contractually-binding The Dog's Voice rules and the graduated enforcement ladder (removal → warning → temporary suspension → permanent ban).

9. Reporting concerns

If you witness conduct that violates these standards — from another Registry member or elsewhere — please report it through our Contact Us form or email ethics@armstrongk9registry.comor use our contact form. Reports are reviewed in confidence.

These expectations are aspirational and operational. The Registry team reserves the right to update them as our community and the practice of responsible breeding evolve.