MEMBERSHIP PROCESS
Everyone needs to follow the following steps to obtain a membership with ITBR.
Before your membership is activated, you must submit an ITBR membership application, upon acceptance of this document ITBR will send you a link to our entry exam assessing your knowledge of the ITBR's governance requirements, registry types, health testing obligations, and the Code of Conduct. This isn't a test you can fail and give up on, it's designed so that anyone who reads the governance documents can pass it. It exists so that every member understands what they're signing up to before they sign. Upon the successful completion of your exam ITBR will send you an invoice to pay membership fees. Then issue your ITBR breeders number.
Passing mark - 100%
Questions - 100
Formation - Multiple choice online exam
Attempts Allowed - Unlimited
Platform - Classmarker (no sign up required, sent to you upon the submission of your ITBR application)
Fee - Included in your membership fee
WHAT MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES
Members Benefits
1. We tell you exactly what to test for and who to test with
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Knowing your animals should be health tested and knowing how to do it are two different things. ITBR provides every member with a breed-specific Minimum Health Testing document listing every compulsory DNA condition for their breed, a curated list of ITBR-approved testing laboratories, and a Genetic Compatibility Guidelines document explaining how to read results and what they mean for breeding decisions. Members are not left to navigate the genetics industry alone. Everything you need to test correctly, what to test, where to test, and what to do with the result is provided as part of your membership. We are here to help!
2. Independent accreditation that your breeding combination meets the standard
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Before a litter can be registered with ITBR, the DNA health test results of both parent animals are assessed against ITBR's published Genetic Compatibility Guidelines. Where the combination meets the standard, that assessment is recorded alongside the pedigree certificate issued for the litter. Buyers receive not just a list of results but a documented record that an independent framework was applied to the pairing before the litter was produced. This gives your buyers confidence that goes beyond your word and gives you a credential that unregistered breeders and other organisations don't.
3. A formal pedigree certificate for every litter you register
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Every litter registered with ITBR receives a formal pedigree certificate recording the animal's name, breed, registration number, registry type, date of birth, microchip number, and the DNA health test results of both parent animals. The certificate is issued by ITBR and reflects the information submitted by the member from ITBR-approved testing laboratories. It is a professional document that gives buyers something tangible at the point of sale and gives you a clear point of difference from breeders who cannot offer equivalent documentation.
4. A formal pathway in for purebred animals without prior registration papers
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If your animals are purebred but have never been formally registered because the organisation you breed under does not offer pedigrees, or because your animals came from unregistered lines. ITBR's Extension Registry provides a structured application pathway. Eligible animals are assessed against ITBR's published criteria and, where approved, entered onto the ITBR register. Each registered litter moves the line one generation forward, building toward Full Registry status over successive generations.
5. A public listing in the ITBR Verified Breeder Directory
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Every current ITBR member is listed in the public ITBR Breeder Directory, searchable by breed, state, provides your social media information, and updated on the first business day of each month. Buyers who are specifically looking for registered, health-tested breeders can find you directly. Your listing shows your breeds, your state, and your ITBR registry status. It is a permanent, searchable record of your membership that is accessible to anyone looking for a breeder who meets ITBR's standard.
6. A pedigree that compounds in value with every generation you register
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Every litter you register with ITBR adds a verified, documented generation to your breeding line. ITBR's generation progression system moves Extension Registry animals toward Full Registry status through successive registered litters, producing a multi-generation pedigree that is traceable within the ITBR system. The documentation that builds through consistent registered breeding accumulates with each generation, the work you do registering this year's litter contributes directly to the standing of every litter that follows it. Full Registry status, once reached, reflects a complete chain of ITBR-verified breeding that no single generation of registration can produce alone.