Midlands Rat Club

MRC Quality Awards

The MRC Annual Quality Award

An annual award will be presented at the AGM to the person who has accrued the most show points during the previous year. These points will be awarded to the owner in cases where the rat is not owned by the breeder.

Award Points System

Points of equal merit are awarded in the supreme challenges for both pet and variety classes.

  • 1st place = 4 points
  • 2nd place = 3 points
  • 3rd place = 2 points
  • 4th place = 1 point
  • 1 point will be given to BOA if it falls outside of 4th place.
  • In the Variety Class, 1 point will be given to the winner of the Stud Buck Challenge and will be additional to any points accrued in the Supreme Challenge.
  • In both the Variety Class and the Pet Class, 1 point will be given to the winner of Kidnapped and will be additional to any points accrued in the Supreme Challenge.

The MRC Quality Breeder Award

Objectives

  • To recognise and approve breeders who consistently achieve a prescribed level of excellence as described in the articles below.

Eligibility

  • To be a fully paid-up member of the MRC and an MRC approved breeder.
  • To be breeding at least your second generation of rats.
  • To conform to the definition of a 'rattery' as described below.
  • To agree to the code of ethics as described below.
  • To agree to an inspection of the conditions of your rattery by a mutually acceptable peer.

Definition of a rattery

  • Usually a single rattery in one location. More than one rattery at any given location may be allowed subject to approval.
  • A rattery where the different sexes are kept at different locations and where the rattery is run as a joint enterprise is permitted.
  • Combining two or more ratteries to operate under one name is not permitted.

Code of ethics

  • To be a no-cull rattery.
  • Provide appropriately sized housing with room for rats to climb and space for natural behaviour.
  • Provide appropriate substrate and diet.
  • To keep careful health records and maintain and produce accurate genealogical charts (family trees) for prospective owners.
  • To provide adequate veterinary care when necessary.
  • To observe good breeding practices as outlined below.

Good Breeding Practices

  • To show good husbandry and be keeping rats in safe and hygienic conditions.
  • To aim to breed strong, healthy, resilient rats from parents with a proven health history.
  • To allow home visits by prospective owners.
  • To aim to breed rats of good temperament, suitable as a child’s pet.
  • Not to purposely breed varieties listed as 'undesirable' by the MRC.

The Award

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  • To achieve the MRC Quality Breeder Award, a rattery must have accrued 25 points from both the Variety and Pet classes, where a minimum of 5 points towards the total have been gained from each of these classes.
  • The breeder may only claim points towards the MRC Quality Breeder Award for rats they have bred themselves and which are homed at their rattery.
  • Having met with the above criteria, recipients of the award will be announced in the first available edition of Rat-A-2-E following their success. A permanent trophy will be awarded at the AGM following their success.
  • An annual maintenance level of 8 points (in either the Pets or Variety classes) must be achieved to retain the award. In exceptional circumstances, the committee may temporarily exempt MRC Quality Breeders from this obligation.
  • Recipients of the award will be issued with html code to display a logo on their websites. This may only be used for the duration of their eligibility as an MRC Quality Breeder. The MRC retains the copyright of this logo and will take whatever action necessary to prevent its unauthorised use.