Dog sperm bank must pay $400,000 for losing semen from prized Labradors, jury says

A jury says a dog sperm bank in Oregon owes two breeders $400,000 for losing frozen semen from six now-dead Labrador retrievers, USA Today reports.

The sperm, stored at the Sandy-area International Canine Semen Bank, “could have produced hundreds of coveted, cream-of-the-crop Labrador retriever puppies,” The Oregonian reported.

But a 1997 freezer mishap let the frozen samples thaw, rendering them useless, according to the publication. The suit also accused the organization of covering up the loss for 20 years.

Breeders Richard Weiner and Brad Barcroft had stored the semen at the bank to preserve prized hunting dog bloodlines for future litters of pups, USA Today reported.

“These are high-quality field dogs,” Barcroft said, according to The Oregonian. “The genetics of these dogs are really good. They don’t have hip problems. They don’t have bad eyes. They don’t have coat problems. They are super smart, which makes them easy to train. Who wouldn’t want that?”

An attorney says the International Canine Semen Bank will seek a new trial over what it claims are “irregularities in evidence and potential witness tampering,” USA Today reported.

Dog sperm banks got their start in 1969 after the first batch of puppies was born using frozen semen, Rover.com reports.

The businesses allow breeders of show dogs, hunting dogs and other prized dogs a way to “maintain and extend bloodlines,” the site says.

Endorsed by the American Kennel Club in the 1980s, the practice has produced more than 2,200 litters, Rover.com says.