October - Hurricane Ridge Kennel Club
Transcription
October - Hurricane Ridge Kennel Club
Volume 22, Num ber 14 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Brags! 2 September Program 4 Membership News 5 Lost Spatula 5 If Only… 6 If I Didn’t Have Pets… 6 Veterinary Puzzler 7 What to do When Animal Control Comes Knocking 8 Legislative News 10 AKC Chairman’s Report— 10 September 2008 (link) October 2008 President’s Message Gosh, where has the year gone? It is hard to believe that I am already writing my October Presidents Message; it seems like just the other day I took over as the club President from Joe Larson in January. Yes, it is that time of the year, where the general membership needs to think about whether they would be willing to volunteer their time as a club officer. This past year has been fun and very rewarding for me. I have met many wonderful new people and have tried my hardest to provide interesting programs for the members, and I think we have accomplished that thanks to the members who provided these interesting programs, and to those who attended to learn about them. All to often, I think we take each other for granted. We can all learn something fun and new from other members of the club. A big ‗Thank You‘ to Lesley and Jim Thomson for their delightful and informative presentation at the September meeting about the Saluki breed, its origins, and the sighthound competitions they exhibit in. I learned something new and I am sure others in the club did as well. AKC’s Registration Services 11 Obedience & Rally Talk 11 The Cowboy 11 The Quality of Dog Food—You Be the Judge 12 The No Kill Blog— Dubious Deals at HSUS 16 HRKC Calendar 17 It’s Show Time! 17 HRKC Board Meeting Minutes 18 A Thank You from the Chilly Dog Vest Project for the Military Working Dogs HRKC General Meeting 19 www.SupportMilitaryWorkingDogs.org At our next club meeting we will be asking for a Nominating Committee for upcoming officers. I encourage you to either be part of the committee or consider volunteering for a position as a club officer. Our club is only as good as those who volunteer their efforts and I, for one, am proud to be a member. - Susan Parr Minutes HRKC Buyer Beware Statement 20 HRKC Information 20 We’re on the Web! www.hrkc.org Starline Nunley, mother of Major Parker Frawley, and the members of Gem City Dog Obedience Club want to thank you for your generous donation to the Chilly Dog Vest Project for the Military working Dogs. Our project started with a goal of outfitting 15 dogs in one unit by providing chilly vests, extra cool packs, a water bowl, muttluks (feet), doggles and a toy. Thanks to your generosity and that of many others, we are moving forward to outfit every working dog in Iraq. These items will make it possible for the dogs to work in the stifling heat of the desert country. You can keep track of our progress by visiting the website shown above. Dogs are ―man‘s best friend‖ but in this case they are also our soldiers protectors. Thank you again for your financial support. Starline Nunley Pa ge 2 Volume 22, Num ber 14 Brags… A Sister Act! Virgie Jones‘ Rough Collie, Ember, Silver Cloud Trade Secrets JS-N, of Fort Worth, TX (on the left side), mirrored by her sister, Mary Franden‘s Rough Collie, Keeper, Silver Cloud‘s Keepsake CD RE PT OA OAJ (on the right side), On August 30th and 31st, Ember (Silver Cloud Trade Secrets JS-N) competed in the TWANG (Texas Working Agility Novice Group) ASCA trials, placing 3rd and 1st in her class, and completing her ASCA JS-N Novice Jumper's agility title. Ember is owned, trained and handled by Virgie Jones of Fort Worth TX. Ember is expected to make her debut into the AKC rings very soon! Keeper finished her AKC OA and OAJ titles at Argus Ranch, in Auburn, over Labor Day weekend, and picked up her first leg toward her AXJ title. Keeper placed first three times, second once. Owner handled by Mary Franden. Congratulations to Ember, Virgie, Keeper and Mary! Below (center), is mama Hildi, framed by her ‗like mother, like daughter‘ offspring. Go Hildi-Pups! Pa ge 3 Volume 22, Num ber 14 …Big Brags! Not to be outdone by his sisters (Ember and Keeper)…, Zedd, U-CH Silvercloud Wizard's Firstrule U-CD ASCA-CD RN HT PT, a Rough Collie owned by Sally Wells of Newberg, OR, and bred by Mary Franden, has been busy this summer, too! On August 20 and 21, he competed at the Mutty Paws UKC Obedience Trials and earned three Qs with 3 placements to complete his U-CD title (owner-handled). On August 30 and 31, he went to the Longview/Kelso AKC shows where he earned his 2nd AKC Rally Advanced leg with a first place score (owner-handled), and also went Best of Variety in the breed ring handled by Junior Anna Oester. In Eugene on September 5th - 7th, Zedd was Winner's Dog and Best of Opposite, handled by Anna Oester. Congratulations Zedd and Sally! Above and below, Susan Parr‘s 11 month-old Bernese Mountain Dog puppy, Gandalf (Gandalf v.‘T Maroyke), competed in the Canadian National Specialty held in Saskatoon (―a 1,300 mile drive just in case anyone really has a burning interest in going there‖, says Susan), where Gandalf earned Canadian Specialty Best of Sweepstakes under judge Missy Wright, and Canadian Specialty Best Puppy under judge Sara Karl. Both judges are respected and well known breeders of Bernese Mountain Dogs. Gandalf was spectacularly owner-handled by Susan! Congratulations Gandalf and Susan! Pa ge 4 Volume 22, Num ber 14 ...a BISS Brag and More! You might remember Jim Thomson‘s story about Lesley hoping for a BISS this year on their Saluki, Zak!! while Jim worried about how long (and how much driving…) it would take. That dream came true in June at the Willamette Saluki Specialty, and then again at Sammamish with back-to-back BISS wins for Zak!!, who was handled by Dixie Rae. Zak!! now has THREE – yes THREE – Specialty Best in Show wins. In addition to these conformation wins, Zak!! finished his Rally Novice "RN" title at Gig Harbor by winning a run-off for 1st place in the class with a perfect score of 100. Rally run-offs are determined by the team with the fastest time to run the course. In fact Zak!! had the fastest time for any of the Novice dogs entered that day! Seems fitting that a Saluki would be the ―fastest‖! Charlotte Metzler reports her Border Terrier, Kat (CH Kenswith-Elwha Canadian Brass JE CHIC), gave birth to a litter of puppies on September 7, via C-Section. Three pups survived. A fourth pup was too large for the birth canal, necessitating the C-section delivery, and only lived a few minutes. Kat was last year‘s National Specialty Best of Winners and was bred to a special who lives in Boston. Charlotte is hoping for a special from this litter. Congratulations Kat and Charlotte! Congratulations Zak!!, Lesley and Jim! Nancy Radich‘s Papillion, Candy, (MACH Ch Ezee Sweet Confection CDX RE XF), competed in the Gig Harbor Kennel Club Show in Obedience on September 20, earning her second CDX leg, with a first place finish and a score of 191points! On Sunday, September 21st, Candy finished in third palce with a score of 194 1/2 points, completing her CDX title! Congratulations Candy and Nancy! September Program… Gone to the (Sight) Hounds! At our September General Meeting, Lesley and Jim Thomson presented a wonderful overview of the sight hound breed, the Saluki, and its history, with their very own Zak!! as ―demo dog‖, and great stories about the Salukis they‘ve owned. The Saluki is perhaps the oldest known breed of domesticated dog. As a pure breed type, its history can be traced back almost 7,000 years. The earliest known findings of the saluki are on carved seals from the Tepe Gawra region, an ancient Mesopotamian settlement in northwest Iraq, near the ancient site of Nineveh and 15 miles northeast of the modern city of Mosul. A study published in the May 21, 2004 issue of Science confirms the Saluki's antiquity through DNA analysis identifying it as one of the earliest breeds to diverge from wolves Widely admired for its beauty, speed, and endurance, the Saluki historically traveled throughout the Middle East with nomadic desert tribes over an area stretching from the Sahara to the Caspian Sea. As a result, different Saluki subtypes, varying mostly in color and coat, can be found across this widely scattered area. The Saluki is a breed of dog known for speed, stamina and endurance. It resembles the Azawakh or Sloughi, which were commonly known as the Royal dog of Egypt. The Saluki is a sighthound bred especially for grace and speed. Although the greyhound is widely viewed as being the fastest dog breed with a top speed of around 45 mph, the Saluki is said to be faster, with top speeds of 48 mph. Testing this has proved difficult as Salukis show no interest in electric hares and therefore won't race greyhounds on a track. However, as their original use was for hunting desert gazelles with top speeds of up to 50 mph, the speed claim could be true. (continued next page) Pa ge 5 Volume 22, Num ber 14 (continued from previous page) Saluki Breed Standard: Head: Long and narrow, skull moderately wide between the ears, not domed, stop not pronounced, the whole showing great quality. Nose black or liver. Ears: Long and covered with long silky hair hanging close to the skull and mobile. Eyes: Dark to hazel and bright; large and oval, but not prominent. Teeth: Strong and level. Neck: Long, supple and well muscled. Chest: Deep and moderately narrow. Forequarters: Shoulders sloping and set well back, well muscled without being coarse. Forelegs: Straight and long from the elbow to the knee. Hindquarters: Strong, hipbones set well apart and stifle moderately bent, hocks low to the ground, showing galloping and jumping power. Loin and Back: Back fairly broad, muscles slightly arched over loin. Feet:: Of moderate length, toes long and well arched, not splayed out, but at the same time not cat-footed; the whole being strong and supple and well feathered between the toes. Tail: Long, set on low and carried naturally in a curve, well feathered on the underside with long silky hair, not bushy. Coat: Smooth and of a soft silky texture, slight feather on the legs, feather at the back of the thighs and sometimes with slight wooly feather on the thigh and shoulder. Colors: White, cream, fawn, golden, red, grizzle and tan, tricolor (white, black and tan) and black and tan. General Appearance: The whole appearance of this breed should give an impression of grace and symmetry and of great speed and endurance coupled with strength and activity to enable it to kill gazelle or other quarry over deep sand or rocky mountains. The expression should be dignified and gentle with deep, faithful, far-seeing eyes. Dogs should average in height from 23 to 28 inches and bitches may be considerably smaller, this being very typical of the breed. Zak!! showed us that he is a wonderful specimen of the breed and we all went away trying to figure out how we could make room for a Saluki in our own households! Thank you Lesley, Jim and Zak!! MEMBERSHIP NEWS Welcome New Member: Anita Pedersen, 4233 Mt. Pleasant Road, Port Angeles, WA 98362. Individual Membership. Anita has a Newfoundland & Newfie mix. She is a retired RN. We look forward to getting to know you and for your support of HRKC. New Membership Applicant: Kimberly Gibbons: PO Box 1635, Sequim, WA 98382. Individual Membership. Australian Cattle Dog. Kimberly is the Office Manager at Greywolf Veterinary Hospital. She is interested in obedience, agility, and herding. Kimberly is sponsored by Carolyn Money and Marcia Whitcomb. The club will vote on Kim's membership at the general club meeting on October 15, 2008. LOST SPATULA DESPERATELY SEEKS ITS HOME KITCHEN! Anyone missing a white spatula from the August HRKC club picnic should call Jan Garrison @ 683-7176. Jan would like to make arrangements to return it to you — and she would like to get it off her piano!! Pa ge 6 Volume 22, Num ber 14 IF ONLY... If only my dog had stood in his stand When I gave him the signal: A move of one hand. If only he‘d stayed on the one minute sit, Instead of deciding that 50 seconds was it. A figure 8 perfect, I could almost boast; If only he‘d gone round the other post. If only he‘d dropped on the signal I gave, And not when he saw the spectator wave. Gotta love those GSDs… Stubborn? A German Shepherd Dog? Nah... Just assertive...territorial...defender of the realm.... the national guard in fur...the minutedog on patrol... In short, an absolutely magnificent challenge for the lion-hearted. -- Irene Tenney If I Didn't Have Pets... I could walk around the yard barefoot in safety. My house could be carpeted instead of tiled or laminated. Surfaces, clothing, furniture, and cars would be hair-free. When the doorbell rings, it wouldn't sound like a kennel, and I could get to the door without wading through furry bodies who beat me there. I could sit on the couch and my bed the way I wanted, without taking into consideration how much space several furry bodies would need to get comfortable. I would have money...and no guilt to go on a real vacation. I would not be on a first-name basis with 6 veterinarians, as I put their yet unborn grandchildren through college. The most used words in my vocabulary would not be: out, sit, down, come, no, stay, and leave it. My house would not be cordoned off into zones with baby gates or barriers, and would not look like a day care center, with toys everywhere. My pockets would not contain things like poop bags, treats and an extra leash. I would no longer have to spell the words B-A-L-L, F-R-I-S-B-E-E, W-A-L-K, T-R-E-A-T, B-I-K-E, G-O, R-I-D-E, D-I-N-N-E-R, C-A-R... I would not have as many leaves INSIDE my house as outside, and I would look forward to Spring and the rainy season instead of dreading 'mud' season. I would not have to answer the question 'Why do you have so many animals?' from people who will never have the joy in their lives of knowing they are loved unconditionally by someone as close to an angel as they will ever get. How EMPTY my life would be! -Author unknown The retrieve on the flat – he knew what to do; If only he‘d brought back the dumbbell I threw. The high jump retrieve – the only thing he lacked, Was that dumbbell (again) he didn‘t bring back. On the broad jump, if only he‘d jumped all the way, And not tiptoed between to my utter dismay. When I signaled the glove it was there in plain sight; If only he‘d gone for the glove that was right. His go-out was perfect – he just went so far; If only he hadn‘t both times jumped the bar. We‘d have had a 200 – he could do everything, If only he hadn‘t run out of the ring. - Author unknown Somewhere in Alberta, Canada… Susan Parr‘s Bernese Mountain Dog, Brandy, was romping along a river, and stopped on the dock to pose for the camera. Can you say, ―Steak‖?! Volume 22, Num ber 14 Volume 22, Num ber 14 Pa Pa ge ge 7 7 VETERINARY PUZZLER by Drs. Foster and Smith, Inc. Theme: Veterinary terminology and animal characteristics Across 20. 21. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. Poisonous toad Disease caused by low insulin levels Snake that constricts its prey Channel in a bone, e.g.; nasal _______ Reflective area at the back of the eye Ingest water Highest level after CD (Companions Dog) & CDX (Companion Dog Excellent) in obedience trials Tumor sometimes associated with exposure to ultraviolet light or vaccination Network of veins or nerves, e.g.; solar _____ Pouch-like organ at the beginning of the large intestine (pl.) Acronym for ―intravenous‖ Hair-like structure used for movement by protozoa Acronym for ―electron microscope‖ Acronym for ―lupus erythematosus‖ Zoonosis transmitted by cat feces or eating raw or undercooked meat (abbrev.) Solution 4. 6. 10. 11. 14. 18. 19. Down 1. Acronym for ―anti-diuretic hormone‖ 2. Acronym for the estrogenic hormone used to treat incontinence in dogs 3. Age in weeks when vision is fully developed in a puppy 4. An ulna, radius or femur, for example 5. Acronym for ―urinalysis‖ 7. Lack of appetite 8. Transmit Lyme disease 9. Material used in surgery to close a wound 12. Acronym for sinoatrial node in the heart 13. Rounded projection such as on a tooth or heart valve 15. Compound made from amino acids 16. Series of tissues or organs, e.g.; respiratory _____, digestive _____ 17. Cardiac _____, smooth _____, or striated _____ 22. A defined section of an organ, e.g.; in the liver, lung or brain 23. Acronym for ―ultraviolet‖ 26. Acronym for ―carbon monoxide‖ Dog E ared Jou rn al Pa Pa ge ge 8 8 What To Do When Animal Control Comes Knocking Author: George J. Eigenhauser, Jr. ANTI-DOG ENFORCEMENT - What Every Dog Owner Needs to Know Dog owners and ethical breeders are increasingly being targeted. Disgruntled neighbors may retaliate against dog owners and for many other reasons file complaints, and anti-dog enforcement action, which many times may be conducted illegally. The following text outlines methods of inquiry and enforcement which may be used by local officials in attempts to enforce ordinances in your community and suggested techniques of response. These techniques are entirely legal and based upon the rights of citizens as stated by the U.S. Constitution. No breeder or rescuer wants to have Animal Control come knocking on the door… but if they do, it will help if you know what your options are. Remember, Animal Control is law enforcement. They are bound by the same Constitution as any other government agency. To protect yourself, you need to know your rights. These vary slightly one jurisdiction to another, but some general principles apply. One rule applies everywhere: never physically resist an officer. When Animal Control is At Your Door: 1. Do not let them in, no matter how much they ask. Animal Control generally cannot enter your home without a warrant, or your permission. While regular police can enter in emergency situations when human life is at risk (i.e., they hear gunshots and a scream inside), there are few, if any, situations in which Animal Control can enter your home without a warrant. Simply tell them they may not come in. 2. If you let them in, anything they find in "plain sight" can be used against you. In some circumstances Animal Control officers, unable to find a legitimate reason to make an arrest, have reported building or zoning violations. This may include caging you attached to a wall without a building permit, that extra outlet in the puppy room, having more pets than allowed by zoning, even extension cords in violation of fire codes! No matter how clean your kennel, if they want to find a violation, they will. 3. Do not talk to them from an open doorway. Step outside and close (and lock if possible) the door behind you. This is necessary because: A) Anything they see through the open door is "plain sight" and may be the basis for an arrest, or probable cause for a search warrant. B) If they make an arrest or even feel threatened, they are usually permitted to search for weapons in your immediate area. Do you keep a baseball bat inside the door for your protection? Even if you don't, once they step inside to look, they are in your home and may continue to search. C) It is hard not to be intimidated by someone in authority. Some animal control is even done by local police who carry guns. It is easy for them to get "in your face," causing you to back up into the home. Once you go in, it will be interpreted as an invitation to follow. 4. If they claim to have a warrant, demand to see it. In general, a search warrant must be signed by a judge. A warrant to search your home for dogs does not include an inventory of your jewelry box. A warrant to search your kennel in the garage or in the barn does not include a search of your home. 5. In some locations, dog owners may have obtained special "breeder or rescue permits" that stipulate that Animal Control has your permission to enter at any time. If you have signed such a permit, they still cannot enter against your wishes since you can revoke the permission at any time. However, if you refuse permission, it may allow them to cancel your permit, so you have to weigh the consequences. 6. Warning - anyone in lawful possession of the premises may be able to give permission for a search. Make sure your roommate, babysitter, dog-sitter, housekeeper, and others know that they should not let animal control into your home or on your property (i.e., backyard, garage, etc.). How to Handle Questions: 1. Don‘t answer any questions beyond identifying yourself for the officer. Anything you say to the officer in your defense cannot be used in court (hearsay). Anything you say that is harmful to you will be used in court (confessions are not considered hearsay). You cannot win, except by remaining silent. 2. Be polite but firm. Do not argue, bad-mouth, curse, threaten, or try to intimidate the officer. 3. Do not lie to an officer, ever. However, it is NOT a lie to exercise your right to remain silent. 4. Don‘t answer any questions beyond identifying yourself for the officer. Anything you say to the officer in your defense cannot be used in court (hearsay). Anything you say that is harmful to you will be used in court (confessions are not considered hearsay). You cannot win, except by remaining silent. 5. Be polite but firm. Do not argue, bad-mouth, curse, threaten, or try to intimidate the officer. 6. Keep your hands in plain sight. People have been shot by police when common objects, such as a wallet, were mistaken for a gun. 7. Do not touch the officer in any way. Do not physically resist an officer, no matter how unlawful his or her actions. 8. Don't try to tell your side of the story, it cannot help. 9. Do not threaten the officer that you plan to file a complaint for their actions. 10. If the questioning persists, demand to speak to a lawyer first. Repeat as necessary. Pa ge 9 Volume 22, Num ber 14 Gathering the Facts: 1. Get the name and badge number of each officer involved. If he/she does not volunteer this information, ask. 2. Ask the name of the agency they represent. Different agencies have different enforcement responsibilities. 3. Ask why they are there. Request the factual basis of the complaint and the identity of the complainant. 4. If they have other people with them (Humane Society, press, etc.) get the names and organizations for all present. 5. Note the names (and addresses) of any witnesses to the encounter. 6. If you are physically injured by an officer, you should take photographs of the injuries immediately, but do not forego proper medical treatment first. 7. Write down all of the information, as well as the date and time of the incident immediately while details are fresh in your mind. 8. If your rights are violated, file a complaint with the appropriate body. If You Are Arrested: 1. Remain silent. Answer no questions until you have consulted with a lawyer. 2. Don't "explain" anything. You will have time for explanations after you have talked to a lawyer. 3. Within a reasonable time they must allow you to make a phone call to get a lawyer or arrange bail. They are not allowed to listen to your phone call to your attorney, but they may "monitor" the rooms for "your protection." Do not say anything you do not want them to overhear; save that until after you are out on bail. Telephone Inquiries or Threats: 1. You may receive telephone inquiries concerning the number of dogs you own and whether any dogs or puppies are for sale. Other questions may also be asked. Your response should be to inquire, "Are you interested in a puppy?" If the answer is "yes," ask that person for his/her name, address, and phone number. Suggest that you or a responsible breeder will contact that person at a more convenient time for you. 2. If the answer is friendly and genuinely inquisitive, invite the person to look at your puppies in a controlled environment. 3. If the question asked is, "What is the price of each puppy?", simply say that puppies of this type are being sold for between "X" and "Y" dollars. Never say that you are selling them. 4. If the question asked is, "Are these your puppies?", you should ask, "Why do you want to know?" If your conversation indicates that the person is representing the county clerk's office or allegedly representing an official body, ask the caller for all of the following information: A) Full name, title, and phone number. B) Agency's full name, and full address. C) Their supervisor's full name and phone number. D) Nature of the inquiry (what it is about). E) Why the inquiry is being made. F) How your name and phone number were obtained. G) Ask that all future questions from that agency be submitted in writing. Preventative Measures: 1. Always keep your kennel clean and take good care of your animals. 2. Consider a P.O. Box or other address for business cards and advertisements. Keep descriptions of your location general (i.e., Southern California, rather than the name of the city where you live). The internet can provide anonymity for initial contacts. You can even buy a "remote prefix" to get a number from a nearby community forwarded to your phone or to a voice mail. Avoid local newspaper classifieds, they are often monitored. 3. Screen any potential puppy buyers carefully. Always be alert that they may be Animal Control or even Animal Rights working under cover. 4. Don't allow strangers into your home until you have screened them. 5. Be fair and honest in all of your dealings, and be on good terms with your neighbors. Most animal control contacts are complaint-driven. Some complaints may arise as harassment by people with unrelated grievances against you. It may be a disgruntled dog buyer or a cranky neighbor who doesn't like you parking in front of his house. 6. Anything about you that can be observed in "plain sight" from the street or sidewalk can become probable cause for a warrant. Even areas on your property open to visitors can be dangerous. Be aware of which areas of your home are visible from the outside and plan accordingly. 7. If you are confronted by Animal Control and turn them away, assume they will be back. Use the time available to make sure everything is clean and presentable. If you are over the limit on the number of pets, find friends who can provide temporary shelter for your dogs. Whatever you do, stay calm and keep your wits about you. Just say "no," no matter what threats or promises of leniency they make. When in doubt, say nothing and speak to a lawyer afterwards. Source—International Parti Poodle Gazette Dog E ared Jou rn al Pa ge 10 Legislative News WASHINGTON Bingen - (8/21/08) - Considering banning pit bulls. For more info, go to: http://www.katu.com/news/local/27252699.html Seattle - (9/8/08) - Rumblings of a Seattle-wide ban on pit bulls have "bully breed" owners preparing for a political dogfight. Anti-pit bull activists in Seattle floated a package of proposals, including a breed ban, to City Councilman Tim Burgess earlier this year. The council opted not to pursue the proposal for now, but the action has sparked an organizing effort by dog owners concerned that the city will move against the much-maligned breed. The proposal would force pit bull owners to register their dogs and ban new pit bulls from the city. Similar bans have been enacted in other Western Washington cities, including Enumclaw, in an effort to reduce dog attacks. Responding to the effort, a handful of pit bull owners have created an interest group of their own, Families Against Breed Bans, and are sponsoring events aimed at defeating any future ban. For more info, go to: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/378114_breedban08.html Spokane - (9/11/08) - A group of concerned citizens are pushing for a Spokane city ordinance banning pit bulls from Spokane. There has been a lot of controversy and reaction, but would banning pit bulls even make a difference? Spokane's city council says it's researching state law and city code before making any decision. A group is also circulating a petition around town against the ban. For more info, go to: http://www.kxly.com/Global/story.asp?S=8996207 Source - Monthly National Legislation Report CALIFORNIA CA AB 1634, The most hotly contested Bill of the 2007-2008 California legislative session is dead, reports NAIA (National Animal Interest Alliance). Thanks to the Herculean efforts of California pet owners and their friends and supporters nationwide, the 11-headed legislative Hydra known as AB 1634 is dead. In the end, bill author Assembly Member Lloyd Levine and sponsor Judie Mancuso could not convince lawmakers that mandatory spay/neuter was either needed or appropriate, and they refused to force surgery on their citizens' pets. An important side benefit of AB 1634 is that it aroused an army of dog and cat enthusiasts who had never been united before. Prior to AB 1634 many believed they could have it both ways; that they could pick and choose their way around the activist agenda and let others contend with aspects that didn't touch them personally. However, this bill was so radical it captured the attention of pet owners from coast to coast and provoked a level of activism not encountered before. AB 1634 galvanized thousands of pet owners and organizations who for 18 months never stopped opposing the bill with letters, phone calls, emails and repeated visits to the Capitol. Slowly, lawmakers began to realize that this legislation would be costly, unfair and that it would do nothing to resolve the surplus pet problems some communities and shelters face. But Levine managed to keep his bill alive and lead his colleagues on a wild goose chase to pass something - anything - that carried the label of AB 1634. To accomplish this elusive goal, he amended his bill eleven times, eliminating section after section and adding new provisions, in what can only be described as a self indulgent and irresponsible effort to ram through legislation that included some form of mandatory spay/ neuter. In the end, California Senators saw through the smoke and mirrors and recognized AB 1634 for what it is and always has been: a fundamentally flawed, unfair and fiscally irresponsible piece of legislation that was agenda-driven, not solutions-oriented. Looking back on the last 18 months battling this bill, it should be clear to all that it was no one group or individual that brought AB 1634 down, but the combined activism of scores of dedicated individuals and organizations, each playing their own unique role. Groups representing pet owners included the National Animal Interest Alliance, the American Kennel Club, Cat Fanciers Association, California Federation of Dog Clubs, Concerned Dog Owners of California, Pet PAC, Save Our Dogs, The Animal Council, The United Kennel Club, several veterinary groups and many others that rallied together to educate lawmakers about the unintended consequences of such a mandate. Some provided information and arguments; some hired lobbyists; some recruited businesses in key districts to oppose the bill; some flew to Sacramento and walked the legislative halls (repeatedly); some organized rallies; many wrote letters and still others kept the fancy informed as things unfolded. Defeating AB 1634 is an awesome achievement that will have immediate and long-term effects on radical animal legislation and copycat bills promoted by Mancuso and others in Chicago and across the nation. Source - NAIA (National Animal Interest Alliance AKC Chairman’s Report—September 2008 Interesting Reading: http://www.akc.org/about/chairmans_report/2008.cfm?page=9 Pa ge 1 1 Volume 22, Num ber 14 AKC’s New Registration Service (The Dog Press) Concerned members have expressed an interest to learn more about this subject. However, the large volume of responses to The Dog Press‘ survey are too many to publish here. It is recommended that readers go to: http://www.thedogpress.com/ClubNews/AKC-NO-NewReg-089.htm to read the many responses, as well as the links leading to ―Intro to ACK Rule, Pt. 1‖, and ―Vote and Comments, Pt. 2‖. Whatever your feelings (pro or con) about AKC policies, this has the potential to have broad impact on breeders and their kennel lines. Please do the appropriate research and form your own educated opinions. - Editor Let’s Get Together and Talk About Obedience and Rally Presented by: Pacific Northwest Obedience/Rally Judges Group This will be an informal gathering of exhibitors and local AKC obedience and rally judges discussing what every trainer and exhibitor should know about showing in obedience and rally. The judges will have recently attended an AKC Continuing Education Seminar with AKC Field Reps so will be up-to-date on the latest policies and interpretations. Sunday, November 23, 2008, at PawAbilities Training Center, Tukwila, WA. Obedience: 9am-12:30pm; Rally: 1-4pm. See last page of this newsletter for registration details. The Cowboy A cowboy named Bud was overseeing his herd in a remote mountainous pasture when suddenly a brand-new BMW raced out of a dust cloud towards him. The driver, a young man in a Brioni suit, Gucci shoes, RayBan sunglasses and YSL tie, leans out the window and asks the cowboy, "If I tell you exactly how many cows and calves you have in your herd, will you give me a calf?" Bud looks at the man, obviously a Big City boy, then looks at his peacefully grazing herd and answers, "Sure. Why not?" The young man parks his car, whips out his Dell notebook computer, connects it to his Cingular RAZR V3 cell phone, and surfs to a NASA page on the Internet, where he calls up a GPS satellite to get an exact fix on his location, which he then feeds to another NASA satellite that scans the area in an ultra-high-resolution photo. The young man then opens the digital photo in Adobe Photoshop and exports it to an image processing facility in Hamburg, Germany. Within seconds, he receives an email on his Palm Pilot that the image has been processed and the data stored. He then accesses an MS-SQL database through an ODBC connected Excel spreadsheet with email on his Blackberry and, after a few minutes, receives a response. Finally, he prints out a full-color, 150-page report on his hi-tech, miniaturized HP LaserJet printer and finally turns to the cowboy and says, "You have exactly 1,586 cows and calves." "That's right. Well, I guess you can take one," says Bud. He watches at the young man selects one of the animals and continues to look on, amused, as the young man stuffs it into the trunk of his car. Then Bud says to the young man, "Hey, if I can tell you exactly what your business is, will you give me back my animal?" The young man thinks about it for a second and then says, "Okay." "You're a Congressman for the United States Government", says Bud. "Wow! That's correct," says the young man, "but how did you guess that?" "No guessing required," answered the cowboy. "You showed up here even though nobody called you. You want to get paid for an answer I already knew, to a question I never asked. You tried to show me how much smarter than me you are, and you don't know a thing about cows...this is a herd of sheep. Now give me back my dog! ― - Author Unknown Dog E ared Jou rn al Pa ge 1 2 The Quality of Dog Food—You Be the Judge (Written by Karen Kirkpatrick, with permission to cross post) Start with a score of 100: 1. For every listing of ―by-product‖, subtract 10 points. 2. For every non-specific animal source (―meat‖ or ―poultry‖, meat, meal or fat) reference, subtract 10 points. 3. If the dog food ingredients include BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin, subtract 10 points. 4. For every grain ―mill run‖ or non-specific grain source, subtract 5 points. 5. If the same grain ingredients are used 2 or more times in the first five ingredients (i.e., ―ground brown rice‖, ―brewers rice‖, ―rice flour‖ are all the same grain), subtract 5 points. 6. If the protein sources are not meat meal and there are less than 2 meats in the top 3 ingredients, subtract 3 points. 7. If it contains any artificial colorants, subtract 3 points. 8. If it contains ground corn or whole grain corn, subtract 3 points. 9. If corn is listed in the top 5 ingredients, subtract 2 more points. 10. If the dog food ingredients include any animal fat other than fish oil, subtract 2 points. 11. If lamb is the only animal protein source (unless your dog is allergic to other protein sources), subtract 2 points. 12. If it contains soy or soybeans, subtract 2 points. 13. If it contains wheat (unless you know that your dog isn‘t allergic to wheat), subtract 2 points. 14. If it contains beef (unless you know that your dog isn‘t allergic to beef), subtract 1 point. 15. If the dog food ingredients include salt, subtract 1 point. Grading Scale: 100+ = A+; 94-100 = A; 86-93 = B; 78-85 = C; 70-77 = D; 69 or less = F. Extra Credit: 1. If any of the meat sources are organic, add 5 points 2. If the food is endorsed by any major breed group or nutritionist, add 5 points. 3. If the food is baked, not extruded, add 5 points. 4. If the food contains probiotics, add 3 points. 5. If the dog food ingredients include fruit, add 3 points. 6. If the food contains vegetables (NOT corn or other grains), add 3 points. 7. If the animal sources are hormone-free and antibiotic-free, add 2 points. 8. If the food contains barley, add 2 points. 9. If the food contains flax seed oil (not just the seeds), add 2 points. 10. If the food contains oats or oatmeal, add 1 point. 11. If the food contains sunflower oil, add 1 point. 12. For every different specific animal protein source (other than the first one; count ―chicken‖ and ―chicken meal‖ as only one protein source, but ―chicken‖ and ―turkey‖ as 2 different sources), add 1 point. 13. If the dog food ingredients include Glucosamine and Chondroitin, add 1 point. 14. If the vegetables have been tested for pesticides and are pesticide-free, add 1 point. Dog Food Name, Total Points and Letter Grade: Authority Harvest Baked, 116, A+ Authority Harvest Baked Less Active, 93, B Beowulf Back to Basics, 101, A+ Blue Buffalo Chicken and Rice, 106, A+ Canidae, 112, A+ Chicken Soup Senior, 115, A+ Diamond Lamb Meal and Rice, 92, B Dick Van Patten‘s Natural Balance Ultra Premium, 122, A+ EaglePack Holistic, 102, A+ Eukanuba Adult, 81, C Eukanuba Puppy, 79, C IAMS Lam Meal and Rice Formula Premium, 73, D Innova Evo, 114, A+ Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice and Vegetables, 110, A+ Merrick Wilderness Blend, 127, A+ Nature‘s Recipe, 100, A Nature‘s Valley Raw Instinct, 122, A+ Nutra Nuggets Super Premium Lamb Meal and Rice, 81, C Nutrience Junior Medium Breed Puppy, 101, A+ Nutrisource Lamb and Rice, 87, B Nutro Max Adult, 93, B Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Lamb and Rice Puppy, 98, A ProPlan Natural Turkey and Barley, 103, A Purina Beneful, 17, F Purina One Large Breed Puppy, 62, F Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult, 106, A+ Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice, 97, A Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior, 7+63, F Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies, 69, F Solid Gold, 99, A Timberwolf Organics Wild & Natural Dry, 120, A+ Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken, 110, A+ Then there’s this: Ingredients which automatically rule out a food. If these are anywhere in the ingredients list, put it down and look for something else: 1. A non-meat first ingredient is an automatic no-go. (continued next page) Pa ge 1 3 Volume 22, Num ber 14 2. Meat by-products: by products can vary… they can consist of the internal parts of animals such as necks, heads, undeveloped eggs, feet, intestines, lungs, spleen and liver. Although by-products are used by many manufacturers, are these ingredients you would knowingly feed your pet? 3. Corn: corn products are difficult for dogs to digest. 4. Food Fragments: lower cost by-products of another food manufacturing process. Examples include: wheat bran and brewer‘s rice (a waste product of the alcohol industry). 5. Meat and Bone Meal: ―meat and bone meal‖ and ―beef and bone meal‖ are inexpensive sources of animal protein. The protein in a meal containing a large amount of bone may be poorly digestible and fail to provide adequate nutrition. 6. Animal Fat: animal fat is a ―generic‖ fat source that is most often made up of rendered animal fat, restaurant grease, or other oils too rancid or deemed inedible for humans. Look for a named fat source, such as poultry or chicken fat, the is naturally preserved. 7. Chemical Preservatives: chemical preservatives include butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytolune (BHT), propyl gallate, propylene glycol (also used as a less-toxic version of automotive antifreeze), and ethoxyquin. BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin are potentially cancer-causing agents. The long term build-up of these chemicals (that may be eaten every day for the life of your pet!) has not been thoroughly studied and may ultimately be harmful. 8. Sweeteners: sweeteners such as corn syrup, sugar, and cane molasses are usually added to lower quality foods to increase their appeal. Dietary sugars can aggravate health problems, including diabetes. 9. Beef Tallow: a low quality fat product. 10. Sugar: this is not an ingredient most people would expect to find in dog food, but many foods do, in fact, contain sugar, especially the semi-moist brands. In fact, some semi-moist food contain as much as 15% sugar. The sugar adds palatability and moisture, and aids in bacterial contamination prevention. Dogs do not need this amount of sugar, which can stress the pancreas and adrenal glands, causing diabetes. Completely devoid of protein, vitamins and minerals, sugar is, literally, empty calories. 11. Food Colorings: these are still commonly used in pet foods today despite the fact that they are not necessary and some have been linked to medical problems. Stuff to Look For: 1. Rice: a combination of brown and white rice. The white rice for digestibility and the brown rice for its added nutritional value. A diet product that is 100% brown rice can be somewhat hard for some animals to digest. Rice is good; corn is not. 2. Meat vs. Meal: pet food labels found in grocery and mass marketers like to use chicken or lamb to represent real meat (contains 70% moisture). This leads you, the consumer, to believe that their product is meat based. Chicken or lamb meats are heavier that grains prior to cooking. The moisture contained in the meats (70%) is reduced by 2/3rds after the cooking process, leaving the total formula a grain-based food after processing. Therefore, pound for pound, meal is better than meat as it is basically a concentrated form of meat, less water, more protein! 3. Wheat: wheat is okay, as long as its not in the top 3 ingredients. 4. Other Ingredients and what they are for: A. Chicken Fat (Omega 6) Essential fatty acids. Maintains moisture in skin cells and is easily digested. B. Fish Meal (Omega 3) Essential fatty acids. Controls skin inflammation, helps relieve itching and hot spots. C. Flax See (Omega 3) Essential fatty acids. Helps reduce allergy problems caused from flea bites and gives the coat a shiny luster. D. Sunflower Oil (Omega 6) Essential fatty acids. Prevents scruffy, dry coat, and maintains moisture in skin cells. E. Lecithin. Helps emulsify cholesterol and aids in the digestion and absorption of fats that feed the coat. F. Linoleic Acid (Omega 6) Essential fatty acids. Helps to prevent moisture loss from cells that cause flaky, dry skin and coat. G. Sage. Strengthens the mind and concentrating abilities. It aids in healing skin sores and skin eruptions and removing dandruff. It has been mostly used in disordered states of the digestion and for its savory-ness. H. Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols). Nourishes and heals the skin. I. Biotin. Aids in the growth and health of hair. J. Cranberry Meal. Prevents the spread of bacterial infections in kidneys and the urinary tract. Helps prevent Cystitis. K. Rosemary. Is a stimulant of the circulatory system. Used to treat bad breath. Stimulates the hair bulbs to new growth. Used for its savory-ness. L. Apple Meal. Rich in soluble fiber. Lowers blood cholesterol levels and normalizes blood sugar. M. Amaranth. Vitamin packed herb. Calms the stomach, reduces tissue swelling. Reduces worms and parasites from the digestive tract. N. Brewers‘ Yeast (Nutritional Yeast). A rich source of the B vitamins, contains 16 amino acids, 14 minerals, and 17 vitamins. Protects, binds and rids from mycotoxins, which cause liver and organ damage. O. Yucca. Used for its reduction of both breath and stool odor. A cleansing agent. Used by the Indians of the southwest for skin disorders, skin eruptions and helps avoid inflammation. P. Eggs. An excellent source of protein and contains all the essential Amino Acids. Q. Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Streptococcus Faecium. Fermentation extracts Probiotics. Better digestion and absorption of nutrients. They act to exclude and prevent harmful bacteria from colonizing and creating digestive upsets. Helps prevent sickness and stress. R. Yeast Culture. All natural live yeast culture, it acts to stimulate microbial and enzyme populations in the animals digestive system. Live yeast cultures plus direct fermentation soluble. S. Copper and Iron A. Deficiency of iron causes nutritional anemia. A small amount of copper will improve utilization of iron. (continued next page) Pa ge 1 4 Volume 22, Num ber 14 (continued from previous page) T. Beet Pulp (sugar) - CONTROVERSIAL; - AAFCO—Beet Pulp is the dried residue from sugar beets which as been cleaned and extracted in the process of manufacturing sugar. - Natura uses it because ―it is a good source of fiber and a stool hardener‖. However, it is not found in their Innova or California Natural products. - Solid Gold doesn‘t use it because they believe it is ―added to pet food to slow down the transition of rancid animal fats (think toxic waste). This holds the waste in. Kidneys and liver work overtime. Dogs may chew their lower backs. Feet may swell, so the dogs lick their feet. Sugar is a contributing factor to ear infection and cataracts‖. - Beet pulp is rather controversial, many think that it is an excellent additive and source of fiber and that all sugar has been completely extracted before being added as a pet food ingredient. If this is the only ―problem‖ ingredient in a kibble, other factors will have to help you decide. U. Brewers Rice: - AAFCO—Brewer‘s Rice is the small milled fragments of rice kernels that have been separated from the larger kernels of milled rice. - Natura will not use it because they state it is a ―lower quality rice product that is missing many of the nutrients found in Ground Rice and Ground Brown Rice‖. Solid Gold says that is the sweepings from the floor of the mill. V. Rice Bran: - AAFCO—Rice Bran is the outer coating of the rice kernel, with little or none of the starchy part of the germ. - Natura and Solid Gold reject it because it is ―an inexpensive source of fiber that is considered a filler ingredient‖, i.e., devoid of nutrient value. W. Sorghum: - AFFCO—Sorghum is the ground grain of the sorghum plant. - Natura alleges that although sorghum is a good source of carbohydrates, it is low in digestibility. Side Note: Condemned parts and animals rejected for human consumption can be re-routed into commercial pet foods. These condemned parts are referred to as the ―4 D‘s‖: dead, dying, diseased or decayed. We believe this is one of the most despicable practices in the pet food manufacturing industry. Some manufacturers have a low standard regarding the quality of ingredients they use to make pet food. A recent example of this practice is the discovery of Pentobarbital in major pet foods, including supermarket brands. Pentobarbital is a chemical used to euthanize animals. Many holistic veterinarians feel that daily ingestion of pentobarbital can be harmful. Many manufacturers cut costs by using the cheapest ingredients available at the time a food is made. Since costs rise and fall, some manufacturers will vary ingredients from batch to batch, resulting in changed nutrient values for each batch and possible digestive illness. Some manufacturers have lower standards regarding the freshness of ingredients they use to make pet food. You cannot determine the freshness of ingredients by reading a label; you must trust the pet food manufacturer. Now, I know you are still asking, ―is this food good‖? So, here are the basic lists with the research done for you! The Good: When you want the best money can buy. Advance Happy Paws Sammy Snacks Azmira Pet Foods Holistic Blend Sold Gold Balance Diet Innova Canine Tender Loving Care Breeders Choice Kirkland (kibble) Timberwolf Organics California Natural Life‘s Abundance Ultra Natural Pet Foods Canidae Matrix Verus Pet Foods Canine Caviar Pet Foods Natural Balance Vita-Max Pet Foods Cripple Creek Kennels Naturally Canadian Far More Nature‘s Finest Flint River Ranch Old Mother Hubbard The Food Advantage Royal Canin Size (natural blend variety) The Bad: Well, they aren‘t BAD, but they just don‘t quite make the A grade cut. No one should look down on you for feeding this to Fido, but it is good, just not the best. Dogs will do well on these. ANF Specialties Dock‘s Pet Food Nutrience Pet Foods Ride Dog Food Anmar Dynamite Specialty Products Nutro / Nutro Max Precise Pet Food Annamaet Pet Foods EaglePack Super Premium Owen & Mandeville Premium Edge APD (Advanced Pet Diets) Euro Premium ―Paw‖ ticulars Pronature Arden Grange Innovative Veterinary Diets Pet Chef Express Propac Dog Foods Authority Pet Food Co. K9 Gourmet Pet First Quality Care Plus Bench & Field Martins Formula The Pet Pantry Regal Pet Foods Blackwood Corporation Max Dog Food Pet First Royal Canine Size Burns Pet Nutrition Nature‘s Recipe Pet Guard Sirius Pet Foods Canusa Pet Food Noble Dog Food PetSmart Premier Sportsman‘s Lamb/Rice Diamond Brand Nutra Nuggets Perfect Health Diets Wysong Professional Diets (continued next page) Pa ge 1 5 Volume 22, Num ber 14 (continued from previous page) The Ugly: Wouldn‘t feed these under any circumstances: 1st Choice Gereen Enterprises Alpo Happy Dog Back to Basics IAMs Big Red Jappy Bil-Jac Joy Pet Foods Black Gold Pet Foods, Inc. Kasco Blue Ribbon Brand Dog Food Kibbles ‗N Bits Blue Seal Premium Feeds, Ltd. Kumpi Dog Food Buckeye Pet Foods Land O‘ Lakes Cornucopia Pet Foods, Inc. Mastery Cycle Adult Maxximum Nutrition Dr. Ballard Original Vet. Recipes Mera Dog Food Earl May Premium Blend Muenster Milling Co. Economy Line My-Champs Microbial Style Econouf National Dog Foods Excel Nutripet Expert Conditioning Ol‘ Roy Brand Forzza 10 Pedigree Fromm Petco Brand Gravy Train Professional Pet Foods Prominence Purebred Company Purina Brand Dog Foods: Purina Beneful Purina O.N.E. Brand Purina Pro Plan Purina Prescription Diets (okay, so sometimes you have to, but I would beg or threaten my vet for an alternative) The Robert Abady Dog Food Co. Ltd. Science Diet Shur-Gain Sportmix Thompson‘s Pet Pasta Products Tuffy‘s Dog Food Veterinary Medical Diets Select Care and Medi-Cal Waltham Wayne But the good stuff costs so much! Burger King is cheap too, you know… You have to realize that the higher quality the food, the less fillers and more actual nutrition. The portion sizes are much smaller, the food lasts longer, and you are spending less time picking up landmines all over the backyard… not to mention potential vet bills. Everybody wins. To add to this, don‘t play the helpless card: ―Oh, but I can‘t find it at Walmart of PetSmart‖! Use Google. Look up the web pages. More than likely they will have a store locater for their distributors. Good food is worth the few seconds you‘ll have to search on Google to find it. Your dog is worth it. Sources: http://www.healthypetnet.com/ http://www.canidae.com/ http://www.doberdogs.com http://www.feedmypet.com The Animal Protection Institute. ―What‘s Really in Pet Food‖. January 29, 2002. Kerns, Nancy. ―Choose the Best Dry Food‖. The Whole Dog Journal. February 2000. pp. 13-17. The Animal Protection Institute. ―Selecting a Commercial Pet Food‖. October 26, 2001. Editor’s Note: Of course, if any manufacturer’s food is recalled, then subtract all points and start over... Pa ge 1 6 Volume 22, Num ber 14 The No Kill Blog—Dubious Deals at HSUS While Gulf State shelter Tangipahoa Parish continues to kill animals, it will soon do so in a room built to kill animals paid for by the Humane Society of the United States. The nearly $30,000 price tag for the kill room will be paid for with monies HSUS raised ostensibly to help the animals of Hurricane Katrina years ago (an estimated $20 million of which is still unspent, not including interest and investment dividends). Not only did HSUS provide political cover for the killing, not only did HSUS chief Wayne Pacelle deceive the public into falsely believing that there is "a new dawn" for the animals of Tangipahoa (which will never arise for over 170 of them because they are DEAD), his HSUS is paying for a room to kill even more of them. If that is not enough, MuttShack Rescue recently completed a large-scale rescue of animals in Louisiana because of Hurricane Gustav. Instead of supporting the effort, HSUS claimed the rescue as their own. According to MuttShack: "[We] just completed the largest animal evacuation in the history of New Orleans. After its completion, HSUS drove their trucks up in front of the whole deal, shot some footage and has posted it [on their website] as their own rescue." Still sitting on over $20 million dollars of unspent funds from Hurricane Katrina, using money earmarked to save the lives of animals to build rooms to kill them, HSUS then fundraises off of the success of others; and in doing so, diverts funds meant for the true heroes of Hurricane Gustav to its untold millions piling up in HSUS bank accounts. This appears to be a pattern at HSUS going back decades and predates even their current CEO: Wayne "I don't have a hands-on fondness for animals" Pacelle. In the 1980s, HSUS ran into trouble for using funds earmarked for animal care to provide private perks for its executive team, including renting ocean front property. In the 1990s, they advocated for the mass killing of feral cats in Riverside Park, VA, only to tell the public that they were involved in making sure the cats were being treated ―humanely,‖ ignoring the fact that lactating mothers were being trapped and killed, nursing kittens were abandoned, and that animal control was summarily putting the trapped feral cats to death. So while Pacelle may have inherited that approach, the fundraising team under his reign at HSUS continues it. There is perhaps no better example of this then the misleading tactics used by HSUS to fundraise off of the Michael Vick dog fighting case. Shortly after the case broke, HSUS contacted the U.S. Attorney prosecuting Vick and asked if they could be "involved" and see the dogs (then being held at six animal control shelters in Virginia). The U.S. Attorney agreed but only on condition that they take no photographs and not publicly talk about the dogs (citing fears of compromising the case, sensitivities involved in the prosecution, and issues surrounding rules of evidence). HSUS agreed and then promptly violated that agreement. HSUS staffers took photographs of the dogs with people wearing ―HSUS‖ shirts to make it appear that HSUS was directly involved in the case and their care. They then sent out an appeal for money containing a photograph of someone wearing an HSUS shirt with one of the dogs. In the appeal, HSUS asks for money "to help The Humane Society of the United States care for the dogs seized in the Michael Vick case" and promises to take the money and "put [it] to use right away to care for these dogs." A caption underneath the photograph states: "This dog was one of 52 pit bulls seized from Michael Vick‘s property—dogs now being cared for by The HSUS…" Wayne Pacelle himself reiterated this in his July 18, 2007 blog in which he stated that HSUS was "working with federal authorities from the start, and assisting with the care of 52 dogs taken from Vick's property." The only problem with the appeal is that it wasn‘t really true. HSUS was not caring for the dogs as they claimed, they were not primarily looking for money to care for the dogs, and the money raised was not primarily going to be "put to use right away to care for these dogs." And while the Federal Mail Fraud Statute (the oldest federal consumer protection statute in the United States) defines fraud as a scheme which uses the U.S. mail to obtain money by means of false or fraudulent representations, HSUS was careful to avoid it. Beneath the photograph with the dog and a person wearing an HSUS shirt is the statement that the dogs were being cared for by HSUS "and other shelters." In fact, it was "the other shelters" doing all the day-to-day caring. The appeal also asked (twice) for money to help them care for the Vick dogs, but also "to support other… programs." In fact, aside from a few thousand dollars given to the shelters caring for the dogs out of the large sum purportedly raised, the funds raised from this appeal went ostensibly to these "other" programs. The Vick dog photograph, the talk of the Vick dogs, the part about caring for the Vick dogs was all part of the elaborate distraction. In reality, it was the "other" programs part that was operative. In reading the appeal, replete with a photograph of one of the Vick dogs in the arms of a person wearing an HSUS shirt, and combined with statements made by Pacelle, it is arguable that people who donated to this appeal thought they were primarily supporting the day-to-day care HSUS was supposedly providing for the Vick dogs. To be fair, HSUS should divulge the names of all the individuals who gave money based on this appeal, how much they gave, whether they believed based on the appeal‘s representations that HSUS was actually providing direct care and/or in physical custody of the seized dogs, and whether they thought the money they gave would go primarily, if not exclusively, to help care for the Vick dogs. (continued next page) Page 17 Volume 22, Num ber 14 (continued from previous page) Taking people‘s money under suspect pretenses is bad enough. Doing so at the expense of the dogs is simply unforgivable. Because HSUS violated the agreement with the U.S. Attorney, relations between the government agencies involved in the Vick prosecution and the humane movement were soured. According to humane participants in the case, HSUS‘s actions made it more difficult to work with the federal agencies, who now had reason to distrust these organizations. The outcome could have been disastrous for the dogs had the government refused to work with all humane groups as a result. No one—including Pacelle himself—would have likely lost any sleep over this because, in the end, HSUS itself lobbied the court to have all the dogs killed. According to Wayne Pacelle himself: "we have recommended to the [government], and believe, the [dogs] will be eventually put down." The uproar among true dog lovers (people who actually do have a "hands-on fondness for animals") was swift and unending. As a result, HSUS back-pedaled. They stated the issue of Pit Bulls was "complicated." They said that complaints were being spearheaded by those hostile to animal protection (i.e., if you can‘t attack the message, attack the messenger.) They said they provided a few "thousand dollars" to the shelter actually caring for the dogs. And, their violating the agreement with the U.S. attorney notwithstanding, they stated that they wanted to help "but the federal government has decided to shoulder the burden on its own …" (The ASPCA‘s subsequent involvement would put the lie to the latter claim.) Thankfully, the ASPCA did step in. (As harsh a critic as I am about many of the ASPCA‘s policies, they did the right thing here). They told the government agencies that they would not violate any agreements. They offered to evaluate the temperament of all the dogs. They suggested that the court appoint a special master to oversee the placement of the dogs. And they succeeded. All but one of the dogs passed their evaluation. Two are now therapy dogs, with one of the dogs bringing comfort to cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Some have been adopted into loving homes. And rescue groups across the country stepped up to the plate to promise lifetime care for the rest of them—no thanks to HSUS, which once again did the least, potentially could have caused irreversible harm, advocated for the dogs to be killed, but took a lion‘s share of the bounty. And therein lies the rub. For HSUS, money appears to be the goal, not a means to the goal of saving animals. And on this score, they succeeded. The only problem is: that success potentially betrays the animals and the hard working rescuers who actually go the extra mile for them. Posted by Nathan J. Winograd, http://nathanwinograd.blogspot.com/2008/09/dubious-deals-at-hsus.html HRKC Calendar October 15: HRKC General Meeting, 7:00 p.m. Greywolf Veterinary Clinic. 1102 E. Washington Ave., Sequim. It’s Show Time! October 4/5: Spokane Dog Training Club. O/RLY. Spokane, WA. Closes 9/17 October 4/5: Willamette Valley Herding Club. HRTS/HRTR. Olympia, WA. Closes 9/17 October 9/10: Idaho Capital City Kennel Club. AB/JSHW/O/RLY. Boise, ID. Closes 9/24 October 9/10: Lizard Butte Kennel Club. AB/JSHW/O/RLY. Boise, ID. Closes 9/24 October 10: Ephrata-Moses Lake Kennel Club. AG. Wenatchee, WA. Closes 9/24 October 11/12: Wenatchee Kennel Club. AG. Wenatchee, WA. Closes 9/24 October 19: Evergreen Golden Retriever Club. TR/TX. Thurston County, WA. Closes 10/19 October 24/25/26: Timberland Valley Dog Fanciers Association. AG. Olympia, WA. Closes 10/2 October 24/25/26: Upper Snake River Dog Training Club. AG. Rigby, ID. Closes 10/8 October 25/26: Vancouver Kennel Club. AB/JSHW/O/RLY. Ridgefield, WA. Closes 10/8 October 26: Spokane Dog Training Club. TR/TX. Sprague, WA. Closes 10/15 The above is a sampling of upcoming shows. Please check with your superintendent of choice for other shows and/or premium and registration information. Pa ge 18 Volume 22, Num ber 14 HRKC Board Meeting Minutes September 9, 2008 The Board Meeting of the Hurricane Ridge Kennel Club was called to order at Valley Center Place in Sequim at 7:40 p.m. on September 9, 2008. Officers present—Susan Parr, Mary Franden, Ron Fye, Nancy Tinker, Bob Whitcomb Also present—Elaine Booker, Jan Garrison APPROVAL OF MINUTES—Minutes from the August General Meeting were approved as published. PRESIDENT’S REPORT—Nothing to report. SECRETARY’S REPORT—Anne Andritsch was absent. TREASURER’S REPORT—Ron reviewed current balances in club accounts, including expenses, income and profit YTD. The July All-Breed show made a profit; the August Agility trials did not. The Treasurer‘s Report was accepted as presented. OLD BUSINESS All-Breed Show: An exhibitor at the July All-Breed show was promised a ―new title‖ ribbon, and had contacted us to ask about it. Nancy Tinker will follow up with ordering ribbons. May Agility Trial: There was a discussion of the planned closure of the Hood Canal Bridge in April/May of 2009, and the impact it would have on our May Agility Trials. A motion was made and approved to apply to hold our dates for the trial, and reserve a final decision until we know more about the exact dates of the closure. Site for the 2009 All-Breed Show: There was a discussion of possible alternative locations for the All-Breed show next year if we are unable to use the Blake Family Property site. Jan Garrison is investigating various possibilities and will report back. NEW BUSINESS Storage of Club documents: A proposal was relayed from the Secretary asking the Board to consider storage of Club documents on CD as opposed to the boxes of paper that are currently maintained. A motion was made and approved to instruct the secretary to follow up with transferring and maintaining club documents on CD. Newsletter: Elaine Booker proposed a survey of members to determine the level of member satisfaction with the Newsletter, and ask what sorts of information/articles members want to see in their newsletter. Carting Competition: Mary Franden proposed holding an AWCA (American Working Collie Assoc.) Collie carting competition under the auspices of the HRKC. The competition would be open to all breeds. It was suggested that a carting trial could be combined with Rally and Obedience Matches. The High School was suggested as a possible venue. Mary and Susan will try to find a good date to hold the test/trial/matches, and report back. Mary will check with the AKC and make sure there is no conflict with holding a non-AKC event in conjunction with the Rally/ Obedience Matches. MEETING ADJOURNED: The meeting was adjourned at 8:35 p.m. - Submitted by Mary Franden, on behalf of Anne Andritsch Pa ge 1 9 Volume 22, Num ber 14 HRKC General Meeting Minutes September 17, 2008 Officers present: Susan Parr, President, Mary Franden, Vice President, Ron Fye, Treasurer, Anne Andritsch, Secretary; Board members Nancy Tinker and Bob Whitcomb. - An attendance sign-in sheet was circulated. There were 18 members present and one guest. - The meeting was called to order by President Susan Parr at 7:05 p.m. on September 17, 2008. Susan asked for a roll call of the members and guests who were present. - The minutes of the prior meeting were approved as published. PRESIDENT’S REPORT—Nothing to report. TREASURER’S REPORT—Ron reported on expenses, income and profit. SECRETARY’S REPORT—Anne received an application from the Mt. Diablo Dog Training Club concerning advertising in the club‘s 2009 Dog Show Calendar. Anne apologized for being unable to answer specific questions asked by club members concerning details of the advertisement. Anne will have that information ready for the next meeting. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEES Historian: Nothing to report. Agility Show: Nancy Radich was absent. Susan reported that the Board agreed to submit the agility trial application to secure the 2009 dates. In the event the bridge closure schedule interferes with the trial, the trial can be canceled. Newsletter & Publicity: Elaine thanked everyone for their continued support and for the submissions for the newsletter. Because of upcoming surgery, Elaine asked that all submissions for the October newsletter be sent as soon as possible. 2009 Show: Joe Larson said that selection of the 2010 show judges needs to begin now. He then explained that in order to comply with AKC we are required to obtain permission for the Freestyle Demonstration and the CGC testing because some dogs participating in the Freestyle Demonstration and/or the CGC testing may not be purebred. A motion was made to request permission for the Freestyle Demonstration and the CGC testing. The motion was seconded. Motion passed. Bill Holbrook mentioned that attendance was down at various events. Discussion then followed about seeking AKC‘s permission to hold a 3-day show citing a hardship cause, e.g., bridge closure, increased fuel and ferry charges, and our (somewhat) remote location. It was agreed that a 3-day event would draw a larger entry. A motion was made to request a 3-day show citing hardship. The motion was seconded. Motion passed. Old Business - Susan discussed the upcoming Tail to Trails event scheduled Saturday, September 27, 2008 at Carrie Blake Park. Susan will be in charge of the Meet the Breed portion of the event. Set-up is at 8:00 a.m. and the event will start at 10:00 a.m. and finish at 1:00 p.m. - Susan will coordinate display of show photos. - Veronica renewed her request for the Club to donate to Old Dog Haven, a facility in Lake Stevens, Washington that provides assisted living and hospice as well as senior dog placement. Discussion followed. It was moved that the Club donate $100.00 to Old Dog Haven. The motion was seconded. Motion passed. - Ron Fye reported that the State requires the Club to purchase another license; the cost is $20.00. New Business - Mary Franden proposed holding an AWCA (American Working Collie Assoc.) Collie carting competition under the auspices of the HRKC. The competition would be open to all breeds. She also suggested that the carting trial could be combined with Rally and Obedience matches. - There were no available dates through the end of 2008. Spring 2009 would be a possibility. Mary will have more information next month. MEETING ADJOURNED—The meeting adjourned at 8:08 p.m. Following adjournment, Jim and Lesley Thomson gave a wonderful presentation about the Saluki breed. Their origin, habits, temperament, and training were all covered. The history of the breed as explained by Lesley was very informative. Jim‘s explanation of lure coursing and personal experiences in training and working the breed was interesting and amusing. The program was very well received. - Respectfully submitted, Anne M. Andritsch, Secretary We’re on the Web! www.hrkc.org Elaine Booker, Editor and Public Education Coordinator 41 Willard Drive Sequim, WA 98382 The Hurricane Ridge Kennel Club of Washington (HRKC) supports reputable breeders of purebred dogs and promotes responsible pet ownership. We encourage all pet buyers to research the various breeds to determine the one that is right for their lifestyle. We encourage all pet buyers to understand that there are inherited genetic traits in dogs that may impact health, longevity and temperament. The pet buyer should understand the financial commitment associated with pet ownership. If you are considering a cross-bred dog, research the characteristics and health issues of each breed and their ancestry. Many unsuspecting pet buyers purchase animals that inherit health problems from both its sire and dam‘s respective breeds. Mixed breed dogs cannot be registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC). What to know before you purchase a pet from ANYONE: Internet scams are frequently conducted by con-artists who take emotional advantage of unsuspecting buyers. If buying a dog from a website, DO NOT send money without first speaking with the breeder and checking the breeders‘ references and credentials. If you are interested in buying an AKC registered dog, verify that the breeder is a member in good standing of an AKC Member Club. Seeing a puppy in a pet store cage can create a strong emotional attachment on the part of the buyer. Potential buyers should find out where the pet store gets the puppies and make certain that they DO NOT come from an environment that has unhealthy conditions and unhealthy breed stock. If buying a puppy directly from a breeder, visit the kennel and ask to see the kennel grounds. All kennels should be clean with sufficient room for the dog(s) to move in, lie down and has an area in which to sleep that is sheltered from the weather. Ask to see in person, or photographs of, the puppy‘s sire (father) and dam (mother), as well as a 3 to 5 generation pedigree, and information about any progeny that the sire & dam have produced. Buyers should ask about health testing and health clearances of the breeder's breeding stock. Buyers should be aware that purchasing a puppy without performing appropriate research, as suggested above, could result in heartbreak and catastrophic financial outlay for the lifetime of an animal with health and temperament issues. Require a clearly written contract that defines the expectations of how and when the puppy will be paid for, and anything else expected after the purchase of the puppy. Example: spay/neuter, training, health checks, etc. Include in the contract a clause that your own veterinarian must provide a ―clean bill of health‖ for the puppy or your money will be refunded. Dogs marketed as ―AKC-registrable‖ come with an AKC Dog Registration application filled out by the seller. DO NOT buy a puppy if the AKC Dog Registration form is not provided when you take possession of the puppy. AKC does not accept registrations from other domestic registries. Your puppy‘s registration papers should have the official AKC seal, which can be viewed at: www.akc.org. Advertise in the Dog Eared Journal! Full Page Ad: $25; Half Page Ad: $10; Business Card: $5/ month; Members may place a small personal ad at no charge. Articles and news items appearing in the newsletter are general interest items and do not necessarily represent the policies of the Hurricane Ridge Kennel Club of Washington, nor does their publication constitute endorsement by the HRKC. Members are encouraged to submit articles of general interest and news of their activities. Deadline for submission is the first Wednesday of the month for publication in that month‘s newsletter. Photos and drawings will be considered upon receipt and review. If you wish any hardcopy submission to be returned to you, please include a SASE with your submission. Send submissions to: Elaine Booker 41 Willard Drive, Sequim, WA, 98382 Or email at: goodwin_booker@msn.com HRKC does not accept ads from businesses that sell live animals. HRKC has a Rescue Referral only. We do not have resources to board rescued dogs. Members are encouraged to do so as an individual project. 2008 Board of Directors President: Susan Parr, (360) 452-7599 Vice-President: Mary Franden, (360) 683-6845 Treasurer: Ron Fye, (360) 681-3707 Secretary: Anne Andritsch, (360) 379-4022 2008 Board Members Melissa Smith, (360) 681-0334 Nancy Tinker, (360) 452-6135 Bob Whitcomb, (360) 683-4032 2008 Committee Chairpersons 2008 Agility Show Committee Chair: Nancy Radich (360) 683-8805 2008 All-Breed Show Chair: Joe Larson, (360) 683-5364 2009 All-Breed Show Chair: (TBD)* Awards Committee Chair: Nancy Tinker, (360) 452-6135 Historian: Anne Andritsch, (360) 379-4022 Membership: Jan Garrison, (360) 683-7176 Newsletter: Elaine Booker, (360) 477-4658 Programs: Susan Parr, (360) 452-7599 Public Education: Elaine Booker, 360-477-4658 Website Committee Chair: Mary Franden, (360) 683-6845 * Volunteers needed Pacific Northwest Obedience/Rally Judges Group Presents Let’s Get Together and Talk About Obedience and Rally This will be an informal gathering of exhibitors and local AKC obedience and rally judges discussing what every trainer and exhibitor should know about showing in obedience and rally. The judges will have recently attended an AKC Continuing Education Seminar with AKC Field Reps so will be up-to-date on the latest policies and interpretations. Sunday, November 23, 2008 PawsAbilities Training Center, 1007 Industry Drive, Tukwila WA 98188 (www.everydoghas.com for driving directions and map) Obedience will be discussed from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM Rally will be discussed from 1 PM to 4 PM Fee: $15.00 – for all day or half the day; rally trainers/exhibitors are encouraged to attend the morning obedience session, too. BRING YOUR OWN LUNCH AND COLD DRINKS! Coffee and light refreshments will be served. A few chairs are available, but we recommend you bring your own comfy chair. Bring along your AKC Obedience/Rally Regulations, too! Registration deadline: November 17, 2008. Make checks payable to Sue Cox and mail your payment and completed registration to Sue Cox, 1509 NE 75th Street, Seattle WA 98115-4369. For more info, contact Sue at 206-524-2468 or johnandsuzanne@comcast.net. Registrations will be acknowledged by email. If you do not receive acknowledgement, contact Sue. Please print legibly! Name____________________________________________________ E-mail _________________________________________ Address_____________________________________City___________________Zip_____________Phone ( )_______________ I plan to attend: Morning___ Afternoon____ Amount enclosed $________ Registration deadline is November 17, 2008. Send registration and payment to Sue Cox. From I-405 North or Southbound, Take Exit #1, Tukwila. From either exit ramp, turn right onto Interurban Blvd./ West Valley Highway. Turn right onto Strander Blvd. (Just past Residence Inn and 7-11 Store. Turn left onto Andover Park East (Video Only intersection) Turn left onto Minkler Blvd. Turn right onto Industry Drive and right into PawsAbilities Parking lot.