The statement from the Slovak Club of Swiss Mountain Dogs, issued on February 14, 2025, has confirmed what we have been asserting for a long time – in certain cases, breeding ethics have failed, and the club has so far lacked effective tools to regulate them. Despite the diplomatic language used by the club’s board, it is evident that this response was triggered by concrete findings, the intervention of one individual, and growing public pressure for transparency. The club has thus indirectly validated all the data regarding Balihara Ranch’s practices that we previously published on our blog.
What Did the Slovak Club of Swiss Mountain Dogs Confirm?
The club’s statement explicitly states that all data in their database is accurate and has been verified. This means that the numbers of litters, the volume of puppies produced, and the information about evaluated dogs that we published on our blog are indeed true. They are not fabricated, not distorted—on the contrary, the club itself acknowledges their accuracy while simultaneously implying that the breeding practices of certain members may have exceeded moral and ethical boundaries.
The Three Key Facts Confirmed by the Slovak Club of Swiss Mountain Dogs Statement:
- An unusually high number of litters – The Slovak Club of Swiss Mountain Dogs has indirectly confirmed that the number of puppies produced at Balihara Ranch significantly exceeded standard breeding norms.
- Insufficient regulation – The club has indirectly confirmed that the owner of Balihara Ranch was “taking advantage of loopholes in the rules.”
- Lenient evaluation committees – The Slovak Club of Swiss Mountain Dogs has indirectly confirmed that while the rules were technically followed at Balihara Ranch, enforcement was weak.
A Concession or Proof of the Truth?
The statement reveals that the club had to disable its database due to a request from a breeder—the owner of Balihara Ranch. While she previously had no issue with the data being publicly available, she changed her stance after our analyzes exposed alarming facts about her breeding practices. This move only further confirms that the reality of her breeding operation was uncomfortably revealed, prompting public scrutiny and questions.
Criticism of Unethical Breeding
Although the Slovak Club of Swiss Mountain Dogs adopts a diplomatic tone, it clearly suggests that in the past, there were no adequate mechanisms to regulate breeding ethics. The club insists that formal rules were followed but admits that some breeders “took advantage of regulatory gaps” and that the evaluation committees were, in certain cases, overly lenient.
These statements indicate that the existing system allowed for excessively intensive breeding—meeting only the bare minimum standards while disregarding higher principles of responsible breeding and animal welfare. Furthermore, the club acknowledged that some breeders resorted to practices that, while technically within the rules, were morally indefensible.
Fear of the Truth?
The Slovak Club of Swiss Mountain Dogs has evidently found itself in a difficult position, and its decision to move breeder activity data into a members-only section is likely a response to pressure from the owner of Balihara Ranch. This action demonstrates that the published information has drawn significant attention and sparked discussion—further underscoring its importance. The club is now attempting to find a compromise that satisfies all parties, yet it is evident that public interest in breeding transparency continues to grow.
Our work was not based on speculation but on facts. And now, these facts have been confirmed by the Slovak Club of Swiss Mountain Dogs itself. The fact that someone is attempting to erase the past does not mean that the truth ceases to exist. On the contrary, it shows that public pressure matters and that transparency is uncomfortable for certain breeders. The truth cannot be silenced.
In Conclusion: The Truth Cannot Be Suppressed
If our information were false, there would be no reason to shut down the database. If there were no ethical issues in the breeding practices, the Slovak Club of Swiss Mountain Dogs would have had no reason to issue such a statement. With this announcement, the club has indirectly acknowledged everything we have previously disclosed—while also demonstrating that systemic change is inevitable.
Below, we provide the English translation of the statement from the Slovak Club of Swiss Mountain Dogs (SKSSP) dated February 14, 2025.
Official Statement of the SKSSP Committee on the Temporary Restriction of Access to Data on the Club’s Website
Slovak Club of Swiss Mountain Dogs (SKSSP)
Date: February 14, 2025
Dear SKSSP Members and Enthusiasts of Swiss Mountain Dogs,
The club committee finds it essential to provide a clear and transparent explanation regarding the temporary restriction of access to certain data on the club’s website. This measure was taken following a complaint from one of our members, who objected to the publication of information related to her breeding activities.
At the same time, discussions have been ongoing for several weeks on social media and among breeders regarding a kennel affiliated with our club that has recently drawn increased attention. This situation arose after an anonymous website published information about the kennel’s breeding activities, citing data from our club’s website.
Transparency of Data in the Club’s Database
The transparency of our breeding records on the club’s website has never been an issue, and no objections concerning personal data protection have been raised by members. The launch of the new club website in 2023 was preceded by several months of preparatory work, primarily focused on compiling the breeding database. We sourced data from our previous website records, club materials such as dog evaluation cards, and supplemented it with information from the Stud Book of the Union of Cynological Clubs.
We stand by the data that has been available on our website—it is accurate and corresponds to reality. The website administrator successfully merged data from multiple sources into a single, user-friendly database. This was a technically demanding process requiring a significant amount of personal time from the administrator.
Given the large volume of data processed, minor administrative errors may have occurred. Members were invited to review their data, and any reported errors were promptly corrected. We apologize to anyone affected by any inaccuracies and once again urge all members to regularly verify their information.
We categorically reject any claims that the club’s database contained deliberately incorrect, misleading, or falsified information.
Why Was the Database Temporarily Disabled?
Until February 10, 2025, the breeder in question had no objections to the publication of her personal data on the SKSSP website. However, she later requested the removal of information regarding the number of litters in her kennel, her owned dogs, and any other details about her breeding activities.
This request raised the question of whether information about litters and dogs qualifies as personal data. The committee has repeatedly sought clarification from the Slovak Office for Personal Data Protection on this matter. Despite our inquiries, we have not yet received an official response. Based on legal consultation with an SKJ lawyer specializing in personal data protection, we believe that publishing breeding-related information on the club’s website is fully compliant with SKSSP statutes and aligns with standard practices in cynological organizations. Similar data is commonly made publicly available in breeding club databases and does not violate GDPR regulations, as it pertains to breeding activities rather than private individuals and serves the club’s legitimate interest.
Following the publication of the anonymous website containing information about the breeder’s activities, strong protests ensued, along with a demand for modifications to the database. However, the breeding database is an integrated system composed of multiple datasets, and it is not technically feasible to remove data related to a single kennel without compromising the integrity of the entire record.
For this reason, the SKSSP database was temporarily taken offline.
This decision does not represent a concession to individual demands but is a temporary technical solution while we work towards an optimal resolution.
Planned Steps by the Club Committee
The committee is actively working on a solution that will be fair to all members. This process is currently being coordinated with our website provider. We kindly ask for patience, as we are unable to estimate the timeframe for implementation, and we hope to manage the associated costs effectively.
The revised website will be divided into two sections:
- Public Section – Accessible to the general public, containing basic information about the club and breeding.
- Members-Only Section – Available exclusively to club members, providing access to all data as it was before the database closure. If a member objects to the publication of their kennel name, their breeding data will be anonymized.
This approach ensures continued transparency in breeding while improving the protection of members’ data. The committee’s goal is to prevent a recurrence of the situation that led to the database shutdown.
The Club’s Stance on Breeding Ethics
The club committee firmly opposes any practices that, while formally compliant with regulations, operate on the borderline of ethical standards and could harm the reputation of the club and the four breeds we represent.
Breeding under SKSSP has two key aspects: adherence to the club’s breeding regulations and the ethical and moral responsibility of breeders. The Chief Breeding Advisor is responsible for ensuring compliance with the club’s breeding regulations. The committee confirms that these regulations are being enforced, although in some cases, they have been interpreted flexibly. We acknowledge that the breeding committee has occasionally exercised leniency, but at no point have we knowingly approved dogs outside the FCI standard. The long-term consistency of our evaluations serves as evidence of this.
Regarding the ethical and moral aspects of breeding, the committee currently lacks direct mechanisms for regulation or enforcement. Some breeders exploit loopholes in the regulations or operate at their limits. Different FCI member countries have varying breeding regulations, meaning that a dog that would not pass our evaluation might be easily approved in another country. It is true that some breeders take advantage of more lenient foreign breeding standards. SKSSP disassociates itself from such practices and will continue to uphold ethical breeding principles to ensure the health and quality of our breeds.
Protecting Collective Interests and Breeding Ethics
The committee recognizes the importance of balancing individual rights with the collective interests of club members. SKSSP has always supported ethical and responsible breeding of Swiss Mountain Dogs and will not prioritize individual demands at the expense of transparency and breeding integrity.
We also acknowledge the need to strengthen rules and mechanisms to prevent similar issues in the future. Therefore, at the upcoming general meeting, the committee will propose a series of measures to enhance control over ethical breeding standards. These measures will include revisions to the breeding regulations, stricter requirements for breeding approval, enhanced regulation of matings and health screenings for all four breeds, mandatory adherence to the Ethical Code of the Union of Cynological Clubs (ÚKK). This code will be published on the club’s website and incorporated into the SKSSP statutes.
Club members will be informed of these proposals well in advance and will have the opportunity to participate in discussions.
Thank you for your support and understanding.
SKSSP Committee
source: skssp.eu
Disclaimer: This article is based on freely available information or verified information provided to us that we can prove and do not intend to accuse or defame any individual or organization. It is always recommended to do thorough research before purchasing a puppy from any breeder.