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The Open Health Registry for Golden Retrievers Terms and Conditions In order to access the OHR data contained within this web site, all users must register. Following registration, users will then log in each time they access the site using a name and password. In order to register for access to the site, users agree to a set of conditions that govern use of the data contained within the site. Two levels of access are available. Level I access is for anyone who wants to view or retrieve any of the data in the OHR. Level II access is for people who are willing to contribute information about dogs they own or have bred to the database. A good working knowledge of genetics is absolutely critical if the information contained within this database is to be used in making breeding decisions. If you would like more information on genetics, see <need Amy’s link> for some good references. Always keep in mind that it is possible to do great harm if breeding decisions are made based on the information in this site but with a poor working knowledge of genetics. Level 1 Access In order to use this site, all users agree with all of the conditions and statements below. If you do not agree with one or more of these statements, you are not permitted to use this website or the data it accesses. All dogs carry defective genes (one estimate is 4-5 lethal defects per dog, not to mention non-lethal defects). The purpose of this registry is to reduce the incidence of genetic disease, not to eliminate it entirely, as such elimination is probably impossible. The information in this website shall not be used to chastise breeders who have bred dogs with genetic defects, or the dogs themselves, whether they are affected or possible carriers of a genetic disease, or the owners of the dogs. This website is intended to further the breeding of purebred dogs by allowing us to breed healthier, longer-lived dogs, and the website shall be used only for that purpose. The information in this website shall not be used to discourage or to attempt to interfere with the breeding of purebred dogs. If entire bloodlines were eliminated from a gene pool because those bloodlines harbored a genetic disease (or for any other reason), genetic disease may actually increase because eliminating bloodlines increases inbreeding and inbreeding can cause deleterious recessive genes to become expressed. Similarly, if large numbers of breeders favor a single bloodline or a small number of bloodlines above all others (the "popular sire effect"), deleterious recessive genes may become fixed in the population, also causing genetic disease to increase. Therefore, caution is necessary when using the information in this site: it should neither be used to attempt to eliminate entire bloodlines from the gene pool nor to cause any one bloodline to be over utilized such that it puts the overall gene pool in jeopardy. The information on this site is provided by end users, not by the OHR or site operators. The Open Health Registry provides no warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy of any information in this site. All users agree to hold the OHR and the site operators and any successor or representative thereof harmless from any claim or liability or damage resulting from use of any information provided for any purpose, personal or commercial. Level 2 Access The Level II site membership is for owners and breeders of golden retrievers who would like to record information about their dogs in the open registry. It is not necessary to sign the Level II site agreement if you only wish to view the information already in the registry. Level II is for people who wish to add to the registry. Level II users agree to all terms and conditions governing Level I access, and must be willing to contribute information to the database as well. If you want a Level II membership, we ask that you commit to recording all available information specified in the database on all dogs you own, and that you make an effort to get information on the dogs you have bred recorded in the registry as well. We are not interested in piecemeal, carefully chosen bits of information. Level II site members should be those owners and breeders who are committed to the open sharing of health information about our dogs, both positive and negative. Level II users will submit to the OHR all available health information on all dogs that they own, provided there are no legal issues involved and co-owner(s) are amenable. We expect Level II users to inform all buyers and co-owners of the importance of sharing this information and make every effort to obtain compliance for sharing this information as well. Knowingly withholding pertinent information may result in your access to the site being permanently revoked.