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AKC REPORT, COMMENT & HIGHLIGHTS

The American Kennel Club

 

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT August 2010


--  Celebrate Responsible Dog Ownership With Us Without Leaving Your Computer!   --


For the past eight years, hundreds of AKC clubs and dog organizations nationwide have been celebrating AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Days by educating the public about the importance of responsible ownership. We congratulate those clubs and dog-loving groups on their outreach efforts and the profound impact it has had on thousands. This year, we are expanding that reach into interactive fun for you, your dog and your club by letting us know how you put responsible dog ownership into action!

This September, we invite dog lovers across America to share their “Acts of Responsible Dog Ownership” with us online as part of the inaugural “Virtual AKC RDO Days”. You or your club’s “act” can be something as simple as taking your dog for his regular walk or as elaborate as getting him health tested or microchipped. Do something for your own dogs or for dogs in your community as a whole, such as a donation to the local dog park. Pick up an extra poop along your walk, help someone find a responsible breeder, give your dog a good grooming or schedule his annual vet checkup.

Then, let us know what you or your club did. We want to amass at least 5,000 “Acts” in honor of AKC’s 5,000 clubs nationwide. There are several ways you or your club can let us know what you have done:

During September AKC will post the daily “Act of Responsible Dog Ownership” on Facebook
(#1) where you can “Like” it or post your own on AKC’s wall. You can always “tweet” us at Twitter @akcdoglovers or send it to us via e-mail at communications@akc.org (#2). If you’re feeling really creative, take a photo or video of your “Act of Responsible Dog Ownership” and share it with us on AKC’s YouTube channel (#3) or Flickr pages (#4).

In conjunction with your act of responsible ownership, we encourage everyone to sign the AKC Responsible Dog Owner Pet Promise
(#5), a petition that brings the tenets of responsible dog ownership to life. You can also leave your “act” of responsible ownership in the comment section here. The “Pet Promise” is an oath that reminds both novice and veteran dog owners that raising a healthy dog is about more than just playtime and pampering. Find it at www.akc.org/rdod (#6).

Don’t forget that AKC’s flagship event caps off the month on September 25th in Raleigh, North Carolina. If you’re a club still looking to host a “live” event, there is still time to register your event
(#7) on our website and receive a free kit of materials. You can also find an event (#8) to attend in your area.

We hope that you will join us in celebrating AKC RDO Days this September in person as well as virtually. As always, thank you to our returning sponsors Invisible Fence®
(#9) Brand and ADT Security Services  (#10) as well as new sponsors Hill's® Science Diet® (#11) Small & Toy Breed Dog Food and Motel 6 (#12) for making AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Days possible. But most of all – we thank all AKC participants for their generous support of this initiative and for their dedication to promoting responsible dog ownership.

Sincerely,

Ron Menaker

Chairman

 

 

AKC Board Of Directors Meeting July, 2010, Highlights and Comments
AKC no longer furnishes "highlights" but we thought it was a good idea so we present the following

from the Secretary's Page:

  • Nominating Committee: The Executive Secretary informed the Board that the Nominating Committee for the March 2011 election of AKC Directors must be appointed by August 15, and its report must be received no later than October 15, 2010. The nominating committee will be appointed  at the August 2010 Board meeting.

  • Executive Session

  • Federal “PUPS” Legislation:  There was a discussion on the pending Federal “PUPS” legislation

  • Changes to Canine Legislation Policy:  Position Statements AKC Staff presented recommended technical changes and alternative versions for a number of AKC’s official legislation policy position statements. These changes attempt to clarify AKC’s value, vision and position in areas of canine legislation and ensure that they are accurately reflected in AKC Board vision and policy. This will be discussed further at the August 2010 Board meeting.

  • Legislation:  There was a discussion on the role of the AKC PAC and the AKC Legislative Fund. Sheila Goffe, AKC staff, was present for this discussion via video conference. Following a motion by Dr. Garvin, seconded by Dr. Smith, it was VOTED (unanimously) to appoint a Board Committee, to be selected by the Chairman, to oversee the AKC Legislative Fund.

  • "Z" Designation in Cocker Spaniel Registration Numbers: The Board reviewed a request from the American Spaniel Club to identify Merle Cocker Spaniel registrations with a “Z” in the registration number. This will be discussed further at the August 2010 meeting.

  • 2010 -2011 Veterinary School Student Scholarships Awarded: The AKC awarded a total of $45,000 through its sponsors Royal Canin and AKC Companion Animal Recovery.

  • American Foxhound Breed Standard: There was a motion by Dr. Smith, seconded by Mr. Arnold, and it was VOTED (unanimously) to allow the American Foxhound Club, Inc. to ballot its membership on proposed revisions to the Size sections of the breed standard in accordance with the club’s Constitution and Bylaws.

  • Concurrent Specialty and All-Breed Shows: At the request of the Board, staff presented a policy that would permit independent specialties to be held concurrently with limited breed or all-breed shows. Certain limitations would apply. There were seven limitations. There was discussion on the seventh which as proposed read:  7. No evening specialties will be permitted at events allowing concurrent all-breed & specialty breed classes.  Following a motion by Mr. Ashby, seconded
    by Ms. Scully, it was VOTED (affirmative: Mr. Ashby, Ms. Scully, Mr. Menaker, Mr. Goodman, Dr. Haines, Mr. Arnold, Mrs. Strand, Dr. Newman, Mr. Marden, Dr. Smith, Mr. Kalter, Dr. Davies; opposed: Dr. Garvin), to amend this section to read: 7. Evening specialties will be permitted for breeds that are not holding .....concurrent specialties with the all-breed show.

  • Following a motion by Mr. Marden, seconded by Mr. Goodman, it was voted (affirmative: Mr. Marden, Mr. Goodman, Mr. Kalter, Dr. Davies, Dr. Smith, Dr. Newman, Mrs. Strand, Mr. Arnold, Mr. Menaker, Ms. Scully, Mr. Ashby; opposed (Dr. Garvin, Dr. Haines) to approve a two-year trial program, effective January 1, 2011, permitting specialties to be held concurrently with an all-breed show with the  following limitations:
    1. The specialty club must obtain permission from the all-breed club in order to apply.
    2. A maximum of three (3) independent specialties will be approved.
    3. The specialty must be held on the same grounds as the concurrent all-breed show (i.e. the same physical address).
    4. The entry on the Specialty breed(s) is limited to 100 entries in both the specialty & all-breed club events.
    5. The ownership of the corresponding date must be agreed upon in writing prior to event approval.
    6. The all-breed class must be held prior to the independent specialty in order to accommodate the Group judging.
    7. Evening specialties will be permitted for breeds that are not holding concurrent specialties with the all-breed show.

  • Appeals Committee:  Dr. Newman gave the report of the Board Appeals Committee. The Committee sustained the decision to suspend the judging privileges of Michael Heflin for life and to impose a $1,000 fine for willingly violating the Rules, Policies, and Guidelines for Conformation Dog Show Judges. The decision was approved by the Board. The Committee sustained the decision to suspend the judging privileges of Billie French for one (1) year, and to impose a $250 fine for failure to follow the Regulations for TDX Tracks as required by the Tracking Regulations.

  • Conformation Judges Annual Fee:  The AKC staff outlined the steps taken to solicit input from the Judges Organizations, individual judges, and the Fancy, on the subject of a judge’s fee.

  • Drentsche Patrijshond (Drent):  The Staff advised the Board that, without objection, the Drent will be added to the list of breeds eligible to compete in pointing Breed Hunting Tests effective January 1, 2011. There was no objection

  • The Role of the AKC Delegate:  The Board reviewed an information sheet prepared by the Delegate Advocacy and Advancement Committee (Attachment B) concerning the role of the Delegate, which includes recommended qualifications for the position. The committee requested that the document with an introductory letter from the committee receive wide dissemination and that it be posted on the AKC website. Following a motion by Dr. Davies, seconded by Dr. Smith, the Board VOTED (unanimously) to approve the request and to congratulate the committee for its excellent document.

 (#1)  http://www.facebook.com/AmericanKennelClub

 (#2)  communications@akc.org

 (#3)  http://www.youtube.com/AmericanKennelClub

 (#4)  http://www.flickr.com/photos/meetthebreeds/

 (#5)  http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/sign-the-akc-responsible-dog-ownership-pet-promise.html

 (#6)  http://www.akc.org/clubs/rdod/

 (#7 & #8)  https://www.thedogpress.com/DogShows/EVENTS.asp

 (#9)  http://www.invisiblefence.com/indexb.asp

(#10)  http://www.adt.com/

(#11)  http://www.hillspet.com/hillspet/utilities/selectLanguage.hjsp

(#12)  http://www.motel6.com/reservations/promo.aspx?id=akb2dfa5&wt.mc_id=cp542764


 

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