This article continues our series on kennel Balihara Ranch and shifts the focus from individual breeding practices to the broader system that enables them.

On Paper, Everything Looks Perfect

Pedigrees, registration stamps, litter numbers, kennel names—even championship titles.
But in practice, that very paperwork has become the most effective shield—not for the dogs, but for those profiting from them.

FCI: A Mark of Trust or Just a Logo on the Label?

The Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) is the global governing body for pedigree dog breeding. Its name is meant to evoke quality, oversight, and ethical standards.
Yet in many breeding operations, FCI documentation functions more like an alibi—a protective umbrella under which the very abuses the system claims to prevent are allowed to thrive.

Meeting the bare minimum—basic health screenings, formal compliance, and paid fees—is enough to gain “official” breeder status. Litters and exports may be recorded, but FCI member countries don’t enforce consistent limits on the number of litters per dog. Where limits do exist, they often allow practices that resemble commercial-scale breeding.
No one asks about the dogs’ living conditions. No one questions why a single buyer repeatedly receives large quantities of puppies—despite this being a clear warning sign of violations against FCI’s core principles: the prohibition of commercial breeding and third-party sales.

And so the paradox emerges: the paperwork is legal, but the reality is cruel.

Balihara Ranch: A Product of the System, Not an Exception

Balihara Ranch isn’t a one-off case.
It’s a symptom of a system that formally protects “standards” but in reality safeguards only its public image.
Thousands of puppies have been bred under the FCI banner at this kennel, yet no sanctions, no corrective actions, no suspension has ever been issued.

Why?
Because the paperwork checks out.
And when the documents are clean, the system pretends everything else must be too.

Legal ≠ Ethical

The law demands the bare minimum.
FCI rules provide structure.
But no one guarantees the substance—the dignity of the animal.

When a breeder defends their practices by saying “everything complies with FCI,” it’s like a politician claiming “no laws were broken” while acting without integrity.
On paper, everything may be in order.
In reality, it could be pedigree-backed exploitation.

Why Does the System Allow It?

The FCI is a federation—it oversees, but it does not enforce.
Each member country has its own national kennel club responsible for monitoring breeding conditions.

In practice, this means:

• Clubs protect their own members
• Higher authorities show little interest in addressing local issues
• Critics are dismissed as “hostile to the breeding community”

In Slovakia, the FCI member is the Slovak Cynological Union (SKJ), which includes the Slovak Club of Swiss Mountain Dogs (SKŠSP). This club is officially responsible for supervising breeding conditions and enforcing regulations.
But in reality, oversight often ends with paperwork.
As long as the forms are filled out and the fees are paid, the system rarely investigates what’s happening behind kennel gates.

The result is a closed loop—self-regulation without real accountability.
And in such an environment, it’s not the breeder who raises dogs with love who thrives, but the one who breeds in bulk.

Dogs as Inventory

When ethics are buried beneath legal formalities, the dog becomes a number.
Something that’s “produced,” rather than someone who’s born.
And that’s exactly what the FCI stamp—however unintentionally—legitimizes.

Buyers see the stamp, trust it, and pay—without ever seeing the reality behind it.
What they don’t see is that the same paperwork can be used to mask suffering.
Behind every number is a living being—and that’s what the paper forgets.

What Can Be Done?

The question isn’t whether breeding operations are legal.
The question is whether they’re right.

Until the FCI mandates independent audits, inspections of living conditions, and strict litter limits, it’s up to the public to demand answers.
Because when the system turns a blind eye, society must open its own.

Do not support breeders who refuse to show you the full environment.
If you’re not allowed to see the puppy’s parents, the living conditions of all dogs in the kennel, and the entire facility—including every dog residing there—that’s a clear sign something is wrong.
Transparency is the foundation of trust.

What Can You Do?

• Ask breeders not only about pedigrees, but also about the living conditions of all their dogs—where they live, how they’re socialized, and whether you can meet them. If they avoid these questions, that’s a red flag.
• Don’t be dazzled by show medals—success in the ring doesn’t justify suffering behind the scenes.
• Support ethical breeders who prioritize animal welfare over paper prestige.
• Share this article—help open the eyes of those who believe an FCI stamp guarantees everything.
• Urge kennel clubs and organizations to implement real inspections, enforce litter limits, and demand transparency.

Because change won’t start with the system—it starts with us.

Conclusion

The FCI protects the reputation of breeders.
But who protects the dogs?

If the FCI stamp is to be a symbol of quality, it must represent more than just the bare minimum.
Otherwise, it remains a marketing tool—a piece of paper that excuses cruelty.

Because a breeder’s honor isn’t measured by an FCI certificate, but by the lives of their dogs.