BirchCrest Kennel & Cattery is a small breeding program whose sole aim is to produce the ultimate companion.  Our breeding goal is to produce a sound mind in a sound body.  We are a mother-daughter team.  Linda is the mother and Mellisa is the daughter.  We have been involved in animals "forever".  Our animal interests have been wide and varied.  Thirty years ago Linda got her first pair of Lhasa Apso pups and the rest is history.  Mellisa caught the competition bug with a naughty little Greyhound puppy named Zach.  Mellisa and Zach competed in obedience, agility, and lure coursing, until an injury forced him into an early retirement.  Zach was a truly exceptional working Greyhound, but it is hard for those gorgeous long legs to take the agility obstacles.  After much soul searching and research it was decided that an Australian Shepherd puppy would try to fill Zach's lead.  That is how we entered the Aussie scene.  We have always had cats while working our dogs.  Ten years ago we went to a cat show to check out "how the other half lives".  Linda fell in love with the Persians and Mellisa couldn't resist the Oriental Shorthairs.  That is how we entered the cat world with a pair of color point Persians and an Oriental Shorthair.  Currently, Mellisa focuses her energy on competing with the Aussies, in obedience, agility, flyball, and herding.  Mellisa's new adventure will be grooming and show a pair of lovely Selkirk Rex kittens.  Linda still pampers her Persians, shelter kittens, and now the lovely British Shorthairs, Scottish Folds, and Selkirk Rex cats.  The household is always abuzz with numerous projects and critters.

               

Lex relaxing in the pool.                    Mickey helping with the paper work and dinner.

    All the animals in this house are pets first.  Anything else they do, ribbons they win, are all icing on the cake.  Our cats roam the house as they please.  They are never caged.  New mothers and small kittens will be quartered off from the adults until they are old enough to keep pace.  The dogs regularly sleep on the beds, (yes, even the Saint Bernard) and Lex, the Australian Shepherd, even had his own pool float.  

     We only breed when a perfect match can be arranged.  That usually works out to mean we only breed once a year or sometimes even less often.  The dogs are only bred when they are in perfect condition and after all their health checks are in.  That means their OFA files are complete.  (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals---a national organization of veterinary orthopedic surgeons and radiologists that grade a dog's radiographs for orthopedic problems such as hip dysphasia).  Their eyes have been examined by a veterinary ophthalmologist and have been CERF clear for at least two years.  They must be intelligent, biddable, and have a sweet, loving, and confident temperament.  Cats must be in perfect health.  They must have a wonderful disposition and be neat.

     Please enjoy these pages and look around to meet the crew.  We will be posting individual pages for all the pets.  Please read our sample contracts and agreements as we take our responsibility very seriously and expect that you will do the same.