RULES AND CRITERIA FOR REGISTRATION.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT - RULE CHANGES

Changes to Registrations and Transfers.
Registrations - As from 1st February 2026 ALL Goats MUST be registered by the time they are ONE YEAR OLD.

Transfers - As from 1st February 2026 ALL Transfer of ownerships MUST be completed in ONE MONTH.

We hereby give notice to all members of the rule changes and are being given ample time to get ALL goats registered in the new timescale and complete your transfer of ownership in the new timescale. Any breeder that wishes to have their males assessed will now have to have the assessment carried out within the ONE YEAR.

*If a Buyer is applying to join the Pygmy Goat Club, if necessary the Seller should write 'Membership Applied For' in Membership Number on Registration or Transfer of Ownership Forms.  The goat(s) can be linked to the Membership Number later.

RULES AND CRITERIA FOR REGISTRATION OF GOATS

1. The person registering must be a current member of the PGC
2. They must first have registered a Herd Name with the Registration Officer (Herd Name to consist of a single word of no more than 10 letters)
3. Only goats bred by the owner can carry that persons Herd Name/prefix.
4. The name of the goat to be limited to one word with a maximum of 10 letters, plus the prefix.
5. Registration application forms can either be downloaded from the PGC website or from the Registration Officer.
6. Current fees for Registration, Transfers, Herd Names etc. can be found inside each issue of `Notes` and on the PGC website.
7. Two clear colour photographs, one of each side of the goat, must accompany the completed application form. For entire males a video must also accompany the application form (1). Ear tag information must also be given.
8. In the event of a multiple birth you must give details in the space provided on each registration form, of any kids born from the same mating for which you may apply to register at a later date. Failure to do this may result in refusal of the subsequent application.
9.
a) For showing purposes Female kids must be registered by 6 months of age.
b) Male kids can only be registered at 6 months of age onwards after going through a process of assessment (1), either by providing a video for 2 'A' listed Judges to examine or at a show where 2 'A' listed Judges are present and have received prior notice requesting an assessment.
c) ALL Goats must be registered by the time they are ONE YEAR OLD (3).

Service Certificates
10. Service certificates can be downloaded from the PGC Website or are obtainable from the Registration Officer.
11. In order to register kids in the Herd Book a Service Certificate is required UNLESS the person registering the goat was the owner of the sire at the time of service. Failure to provide a service certificate will result in refusal of registration.
12. Where a stud male is loaned out for stud purposes, the owner of the male must either issue the person borrowing the male with an appropriate number of signed service certificates or write to the Registration Officer notifying him/her that the male will be standing at the new address and giving permission for the borrower to sign and issue service certificates for that male.

Transfer of Ownership
13.
a) The person selling and transferring must be a current member of the PGC.
b) It is the responsibility of the SELLER to pay for and implement the transfer of ownership. Refer to current issue of `Notes` for fee.
c) Refer to the current issue of `Notes` or PGC website for fees. There is a higher transfer fee for a PGC Herdbook Registered goat or a goat in the Pet Record of ANY age owned for less than 1 year. This doesn’t include the first time sale of a kid from its origin. (2)
d) ALL transfer of ownerships MUST be completed in ONE MONTH. (3)

14. Kids may be transferred directly to new owners at the time of registration and no transfer fee will be charged. Transfer of ownership cannot be backdated and where kids are sold before they are registered, the transfer of ownership should be the date the kids were sold (Date of Sale) not the date the registration form is received.

Duplicate registration certificates
15. If a registration certificate is lost or destroyed it can be replaced at the discretion of the Registration Officer. A photograph of the goat will be required and a fee of £3.00 will be charged for each replacement certificate.

Criteria for registration
To qualify for entry into the PGC HERD BOOK the goat must:

Have both parents already registered in the Herd Book and be free from any of the following faults:

Any mouth/jaw defect (undershot, overshot or twisted jaw)
Any teat defect (supernumerary, fishtail, teat spurs, multiple orifice)
Non-conformity to size (see height limits in Breed Standard)
Any deformity
`Swiss` type markings
Roman nose
Pendulous ears
Polled (genetically hornless)
Testicles uneven in size, not properly descended, less than two.

Pet Record
For goats not eligible for herd book registration, the PGC has established a Pet Record. The following regulations apply:

The pet record is open to wethers and females not eligible for registration in the herd book, i.e. those with mouth or teat faults, non conformity to size or those born to unregistered parents. However they must conform to the pygmy goat breed standard as outlined above.

Goats placed in the pet record cannot be upgraded.

Female goats placed in the pet record cannot have any progeny registered in the herd book.

Amendment History:
(1) Amendment: Words in italics in Rules 7 and 9 were approved at the PGC AGM on 24th October
2021 and published in ‘Pygmy Goat Notes’ Issue No 157 December 2021, P18.
(2) Amendment from 1st January 2025: Published in ‘Pygmy Goat Notes’ Issue No 169 December 2024, P8 & 11.
(3) Amendment from 1st February 2026: Published in ‘Pygmy Goat Notes’ Issue No 173 December 2025, P10 and the Minutes of PGC AGM April 12th 2026 published in Issue No 175 June 2026, P22.