Following a question to the Kennel Club on various aspects of DNA testing the question was answered as below.

There is absolutely no intention of imposing DNA tests on any breed unless they are requested by the Breed Clubs or Councils. The purpose of the official DNA testing schemes is to create an open register of tested dogs.  Breeders can choose to use the test or not, but if they do, the results of tests become part of the public domain appearing on registration certificates, the BRS and on the KC website.

We can understand the concerns expressed in your correspondence and will therefore record results on a voluntary basis for both MDR1 and CEA/CH for Rough Collies. Therefore any owner who submits DNA results for their own dogs will have these published as described above. You may wish to let your Breed Council, Clubs and the breed note writers aware of this decision.

With regard to the costs of DNA tests, the KC has no jurisdiction over the charges set by the individual laboratories. However, some labs like Optigen do have cheaper rates if the DNA samples are sent as part of a ‘20/20 clinic’ – 20 samples qualify for a 20% discount. Details about these clinics can be found on the Optigen website (www.optigen.com
Gary Johnson

Breeder Services Manager