In June 2023 the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons announced that lay people (non-veterinarians) are no longer able to carry out intravaginal artificial insemination of dogs. This was welcome news for veterinary staff and animal welfare advocates across the country and this article will explore why.

Table of contents

What is artificial insemination?

Artificial insemination (AI) enables a dog to become pregnant without a natural mating. It involves collecting semen from a stud dog and then injecting it into a bitch. There are different types of AI: 

  • Intravaginal insemination is where the semen is injected into the vagina. Before June 2023, lay people could carry out this procedure but now it must be carried out by a veterinary surgeon or by a veterinary nurse under the direction of a vet.  
  • Transcervical insemination is where the semen is injected into the uterus through a catheter or endoscope. This type of procedure can only be performed by a vet.
  • Transuterine insemination involves making a surgical incision into the uterus and injecting the sperm through the incision. This is an illegal procedure in the UK. 

Why did RCVS make this decision?

The RCVS Standards Committee originally concluded in 2017 that canine intravaginal insemination was not an invasive procedure and therefore an exemption should be made that it can be carried out by lay persons. However any such exemption needs to be provided in a legal exemption order made by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). 

Defra has not provided this exemption order, and so a decision was recently made by the Standards Committee to change its advice. 

So is there a risk that Defra could make an exemption order? We don’t know for sure. I personally feel that it’s unlikely. The majority of the veterinary profession and animal welfare organisations object to lay people being able to perform AI. Creating such an order would likely create a lot of backlash for Defra.

Why did the previous rules on AI cause issues?

The main issue that people had with the previous rules was that they allowed for the operation of ‘Canine Fertility Clinics’. These are popular clinics which have opened up across the country, often operating without any veterinary oversight.

The majority of these clinics are used to breed dogs that have issues mating naturally, such as the french bulldog. The reasons that these dogs cannot mate naturally is due to genetic conformation issues e.g. short legs and narrow hips. Breeding these dogs with AI significantly increases the risk that the puppies will also carry these issues. The more dogs with these issues are bred the worse the issues will become over time. 

Many of these dogs also have trouble giving birth naturally, and so the bitch has to suffer through multiple caesarean sections as a result of AI-induced pregnancy. This is dangerous for the bitch and the puppies. 

Irresponsible use of AI can also result in exacerbation of welfare issues across generations of dogs

This is particularly true where owners are looking to enhance certain features such as muscle mass or facial features. These clinics are particularly popular with owners of certain breeds of dogs with welfare issues, such as brachycephalic breeds. Breeding a brachycephalic dog with another brachycephalic dog will result in brachycephalic puppies who will suffer welfare issues for life.   

Another issue of these clinics is that semen from a stud dog can be used in multiple bitches as it is usually frozen and stored. This decreases the genetic diversity of a breed and can increase the risk of inherited disorders.

Shockling, these clinics have also been caught performing illegal procedures. The BBC show ‘Britain’s Puppy Boom: Counting the Cost’ obtained undercover footage of lay people taking blood from dogs, and recommending the use of unlicensed medication.  

The bottom-line is these clinics have shown time and time again that they do not have the dogs best interests at heart. They are simply looking to profit from owners who want to breed dogs with a certain look, or who cannot breed their dog’s naturally. 

What do I do if I suspect a lay person is performing AI?

Intravaginal AI must now be performed by a veterinary surgeon or veterinary nurse who is receiving direction from a veterinary surgeon. 

If you are concerned that a lay person is performing AI, you can check if they are a vet using the RCVS ‘Find a Vet’ website. They must be listed as registered and practising on the website in order to perform procedures in the UK.

For information on who to report to if you still have concerns, click on this link for advice from the British Veterinary Association.

Conclusion

Putting AI back in the hands of vets will help to improve animal welfare and prevent unsafe or unhealthy breeding practices. The news is a cause for celebration for many of us. 

Further Information: