What Are Registration Papers on a Rabbit?

Registration papers on a rabbit are papers filed with the American Rabbit Breeders Association -- known as the ARBA -- that record that a rabbit has the proven qualities of a particular breed. Unlike a pedigree, which records only a rabbit's bloodline, a registration records proof that the rabbit has met all criteria of the "Standards of Perfection" approved and upheld by the ARBA. These standards are the rules and specifications used to judge the quality of a rabbit.

  1. ARBA and Registrar

    • Only members of the ARBA can register a rabbit. The association provides the appropriate registration form to complete. Each breed of rabbit has a licensed registrar experienced in the requirements and standards for that breed. It is the duty of the licensed registrar to review the registration application for completeness and to examine the rabbit and its bloodlines to prove its purity for the specific breed.

    Application Requirements

    • An applicant must present details of three generations of the rabbit's family history. These details include ear numbers of the rabbits in each generation, weights and varieties. Ear numbers are the numbers tattooed in the ear of each kit -- young rabbit -- that a breeder expects to show at ARBA-sanctioned rabbit shows. All three generations of the applicant's rabbit's family must be of the same breed for the rabbit to qualify for registration.

    Examination

    • The registrar examines the rabbit and compares it to ARBA standards to verify its qualifications. Any characteristics considered disqualifying are cause for rejection of the application. Disqualifying characteristics can include incorrect eye color, incorrect fur length, wrong toenail colors and even incorrect colored patches or stray hairs in the fur. The ARBA Standards of Perfection document disqualifying characteristics for each rabbit breed as well as specific characteristics that must be present within each breed.

    Registration Certificate

    • Once a rabbit passes the examination, it is ready for registration. ARBA files the registration in its master database, and the breeder receives a certificate for the rabbit. It becomes the proof that the rabbit is purebred and meets all ARBA standards. The certificate contains an embossed seal. The seal is plain if the rabbit comes from unregistered parents, red if it has two registered parents, and red, white and blue if it has registered parents and grandparents.