DNA Parentage Verification

Dogs Victoria is on track for the introduction of mandatory parentage verification for all litters whelped from 1 January 2026.

The goal of introducing DNA parentage verification (often called parentage assurance) is to promote increased confidence in pedigree, pure-bred dogs and to support the reduction and elimination of breed-specific health conditions in all of our registered breeds.

Across the world, there are now a wide range of pedigree registries and bodies that have implemented pedigree assurance as part of their registration requirements.  With pedigree assurance, purchasers can have confidence that they are getting what they have paid for, and breeders can address hereditary conditions within a population with more confidence.

Experience across registries who have introduced a parentage verification requirement has shown an initial ‘error rate’ of up to 10% (some even higher!). That translates to one in every ten animals registered not having the correct sire or dam listed on their pedigree!

Most of these errors have been found not to be deliberate falsification, rather the breeder has been unaware that another male has had access to their female during their fertile period. However, the repercussions of pedigree errors can impact generations of animals and entire bloodlines and makes addressing breed-specific health problems difficult.

Dogs Victoria DNA Service Provider – Tender Outcome

In November last year, after consulting with a variety of DNA service providers both here and overseas, Dogs Victoria’s Management Committee decided on what they felt was the best delivery model for Dogs Victoria and its breeder members.  As a result, Dogs Victoria issued a tender request for a ‘preferred supplier’.

I am happy to announce that after an evaluation of the tenders, Dogs Victoria’s Management Committee has resolved to allow members some choice in selecting their provider and is progressing with both InfogeneNZ and Orivet as their preferred suppliers.

Special rates for members

We understand that having DNA parentage verification done will add to the costs of having a litter, so our priority has been to negotiate member-only pricing with our preferred suppliers.

The preferred supplier model will allow members to access reduced testing rates for both DNA profiles (used for parentage verification) AND full breed (health testing) panels offered by InfogeneNZ and Orivet.

Dogs Victoria are currently working closely with both suppliers in relation to the ‘nuts and bolts’ of providing this reduced cost option, which will only be able to be accessed using your Dogs Victoria membership number.

We hope to be able to provide specific details relating to costs and accessing the member-only pricing, along with how to order kits in next month’s update, giving our providers time to establish the required systems and technology to do this. 

Education – Answering your questions

With the recent introduction of the option to complete your Litter Registration online via the Show Manager platform, and the introduction parentage verification as an additional requirement, we understand that breeders have a lot of questions, and some concerns that need to be addressed.

Starting this month, we will be rolling out monthly Member education articles and online resources relating to the DNA Parentage Verification process, including answers to the most commonly asked questions.

We will be covering topics such as:

• Approved Sample Collection
• Integration with the Litter Registration Process
• Costs and Process
• DNA ‘Panel’ Testing vs DNA Profiles
• Dogs with existing DNA Profiles
• Non-Standard Sampling (such as obtaining DNA from Frozen Semen or overseas sires)
• What happens when the results are not what you expected.
• Results sharing, privacy and data security

We are also establishing a dedicated email address for member questions relating to the introduction of DNA Parentage verification.

Facilitating Collection

Given that this quite a significant change, Dogs Victoria is looking at ways to make the introduction of mandatory DNA parentage verification as seamless as possible. 

Although we understand that many of our breeder members may have already had DNA Profiles recorded for their adult animals, we are encouraging all breeders that are planning a litter in 2026 to have their breeding stock’s (adult dogs) DNA Profile testing done in the latter half of this year if they have not already done so. 

Starting in August, we will be planning a number of ‘collection days’ at KCC Park, Bulla and some of our larger regional shows. 

Several approved collectors will be available on these days to enable sample collection (for both preferred suppliers) at no cost, and members will be able to have DNA related questions answered.

Staff at the Dogs Victoria Office are about to undergo Approved Collector training giving members another option for sample collection.

Of course, ALL registered Veterinarians qualify as accredited collectors, so you can also choose to have samples collected when your breeding animals are next at the vets.

Interested in becoming an ‘Approved Collector’?

We are looking for members who would like to volunteer to facilitate collection of DNA samples in line with the Dogs Australia Protocol.

One of our preferred suppliers, Orivet, already has a number of Approved Collectors located in Victoria, some of whom will be familiar to Dog Show regulars.

However, to facilitate collection for all DV members for either provider, DV will be calling for expressions of interest from members located across the state – particularly in the more regional areas of Victoria.

Members of good standing who own a microchip scanner from across the state are encouraged to apply.  Training will involve watching a video and answering a quiz, along with signing an integrity declaration.

More information on the application process and a formal call for Expressions of Interest in becoming an approved collector will be circulated to members during April 2025. 

FACT SHEETS
What is DNA Parentage Testing?
Collecting a Sample for DNA Testing
Dogs Australia DNA Collecting Protocol