At 10:29 AM -0400 4/24/99, Dean Mair wrote:

>I could see them getting reduced rates for some things but if OFA is giving
>them reduced rates, that is reason to scream. I have no problem jumping on
>OFA if you have an example.

        Do I still have the email that made this claim, nooooo, of course
not. But according to the woman who wrote me OFA gives reduced rates if you
send in 5 xrays at a time and then it is free if you send in 10 at once. I
was thinking - well, maybe they do this to encourage folks to submit whole
litters - I didn't verify the accuracy of the statements, I was still
getting over the shock that some mills are now OFAing their breeding stock.
They have their own tattoo equipment (have to wonder if some dogs aren't
wearing more than one tattoo though....) so that part is free (AKC requires
tattoo or microchip for OFA now) and if OFA is free then all they have to
do is get some Vet to do it cheap and I can see why they are OFAing if it
means they can sell their pups to stores for more and stores can sell the
pups for more.... They can't OFA till the bitch is two, so she can have
three litters and they can make sure she is a good breeder, then they can
OFA her, charge more for the pups, and breed her every heat for another 6
to 10 years (depending on breed). That's a good return on their investment
even if it isn't free.

                jan