REGISTRY,
Breed & kennel Club NEWS
AKC REFUSES TO SUSPEND CONVICTED FRENCHIE THIEF
How can some people
get
SUSPENDED! for life and others walk away from confirmed violation
of AKC Rules with no penalty at all? Clover Hedlund was convicted in
a court of law, but apparently that wasn't enough to move AKC to
enforce its own bylaws and penalties against abuse and cruelty.
TheDogPress
©
06|05|05 -
The
Suspend AKC Privileges
petition (below) was
created by Holly Foster June 5th, 2005.
There were 831 signatures on
the letter to AKC, almost 100% were in support of suspension. Also
see updated Gold Links
below.
We received
an update from our Aussie Breed Rep,
Janet Maas,
Janet writes: I posted the
author of the petition asking for an update. The person was convicted of
stealing the dog, fined $4,000 & sentenced to 30 days in jail. In addition she
was ordered to pay the owners of the Frenchie $10,000. The AKC refused to do
anything saying no animal cruelty was involved!
We have in the past conducted
polls (the PollingPlace will be back!) and while the opinion of our members and
subscribers may not change the past, it has proven to have an effect on some
future rulings. AKC does listen but sometimes there are facts or legal
issues of which the fancy is not aware. In such situations, AKC can not be
expected to explain. It should not be heckled into answering for every
minute decision. To do so would compromise the ability of the Board and
Staff to do the job which we hired them to do and then we would gripe about
that!
On the other hand, AKC increasingly seems to disregard its customers
or constituents (pick your own term) and if no one objects, just like an
uncorrected puppy, it is likely to repeat the same mistake again. This
seemingly small case took place even as plans were well well underway to ignore
what appears to be the vast majority of show breeders served by AKC. Can
we change AKC's position in such matters? Only you have the answer.
Do You think AKC should have
suspended Clover Hedlund according to its Bylaws? What is your opinion
regarding AKC’s refusal to listen to its “customers”? Is justice in the court
system enough? (The court recommended the plaintiff seek AKC suspension.) Will Hedlund continue to show and breed? Is there another side to the story which
AKC knows? What could “justify” the theft and neutering of any dog? Send your
opinion in a
Letter To The Editor but remember what DoodleDog says, keep it short and
from the heart.
Thomas W. Sharp
Assistant Vice President, Compliance
The American Kennel Club
Re: Clover Svea Hedlund/Petition to Suspend Privileges
Dear Mr. Sharp:
Several AKC members are extremely disappointed that you and the AKC have decided
not to pursue suspension of Clover Hedlund for her theft and the neutering of
Arlie Alford's Champion French Bulldog, call name Clipper. We disagree with the
AKC's inaction. We think the decision is contra to AKC policies and violates the
AKC Mission Statement, Objectives, and Core Values. The AKC's decision is wrong.
You based your decision not to suspend Ms. Hedlund because her misconduct did
not involve animal cruelty. While animal cruelty is clearly grounds for
suspension under AKC rules, we believe dog theft and wrongful neutering merits
suspension too since the underlying policy is to suspend privileges for conduct
prejudicial to the sport of purebred dogs, pursuant to the Constitution, Bylaws
and Rules of the American Kennel Club. Like animal cruelty, theft and neutering
of a fellow AKC member's dog is clearly prejudical to the interest of the AKC
and the sport of purebred dogs
On December 17, 2004, Clover Hedlund was found guilty of felony theft of Arlie
Alford's Ch. French Bulldog, Clipper. The dog was stolen in April 2002 and
recovered pursuant to court warrant and search in November 2003. While concealed
by Hedlund, Clipper was neutered.
On February 23, 2005, an unremorseful Hedlund was sentenced to 60 days in county
jail, followed by 30 days monitoring and 30 days work detail, ten years
probation, and ordered to pay $4065 to the State of Minnesota for making a
fraudulent representation on her application to the Public Defender's Office.
Hedlund was ordered to pay Alford $10,000. Alford has filed a case in civil
court seeking damages.
This very serious matter has been and is addressed in the judicial system. While
criminal and civil courts do their best to punish thieves and help victims
attain compensation, remedy is limited to incarceration, and monetary remedy.
While significant action has been taken by the courts, several AKC members-not
just the victim in this case-are dissatisfied and uncomfortable with the idea
that Hedlund, in light of her misconduct, can keep her AKC privileges and show
dogs at AKC events. We believe Hedlund has demonstrated that she is a threat to
the safe keeping of dogs belonging to fellow AKC participants. The AKC must not
tolerate Hedlund's wrongful conduct which cuts straight to the heart of the
sport of purebred dogs; the AKC must do more to prevent and deter Hedlund and
others from engaging in similar behavior in the future.
It is worth noting that while the court cannot order AKC to suspend Hedlund's
privileges, the court, in is its sentencing opinion advised the victim to pursue
such action.
In their strong disagreement with the AKC's decision not to take action against
Clover Hedlund, the undersigned petition the AKC and its board and officers to
further review the matter and suspend Clover Hedlund's privileges for a
reasonable period of time, which we recommend to be no less than two years.
Signed by: 831 fanciers - UPDATED to 851 August 6, 2009
10093
http://www.thedogpress.com/ClubNews/AKC/0506-AKC-Refuses-Suspend-Convicted.asp
Pedigree Fraud
In-dept series,
documentation of AKC's failure to protect the stud book.
