The Ulster County Legislature is considering a proposal that would regulate hobby breeders in the county and could vote as early as today (Tuesday, August 18). County residents are urged to contact the legislature immediately and urge them to not allow this proposal to pass as it is currently written. Type in your address on the […]
Anytime there is an animal related incident, the first outcry is “There oughtta’ be a law!” Although laws already exist, more regulations are passed in response that exacerbate problems and result in more pets surrendered to animal shelters – not less. New laws run the gamut: Mandatory pet spay/neuter, mandatory microchips, differential licensing (higher license […]
By Amy Fernandez For most Canine Chronicle readers, cleaning up after dogs ranks among those ubiquitous chores, so common and frequent that it doesn’t merit comment. We simply get on with it. If you’re faced with an unanticipated accident in public, the protocol goes without saying. It’s courteous, usually legally required, and we understand that […]
It seems all too frequently over the last year that – while preparing to gather my thoughts for my Looking Back column – someone who was an important part of my life passes away and takes precedence over all else. As you all know, on Friday, July 3, 2015 Mrs. Jane Forsyth left this world. It doesn’t seem possible that one so important that I have known for so long is not invincible! I’m finding this to be true and occurring much too frequent lately.
In both Britain and America, Gundogs were the headliners and groundbreakers of the modern dog world. Their proponents organized the first show, founded key organizations like the Kennel Club, Westminster, and AKC, and the list goes on. However, Terrier fanciers- like their dogs- weren’t on the sidelines waiting for an invitation. By 1860 Terrier breeders and judges were calling the shots at every level of the sport. Their concepts became ubiquitous hallmarks of the game, things like specialty publications, show grooming (and cheating), and professional handling. Fox Terrier popularity was the springboard for this preeminent position.
Last month’s CC includes an overview of registration changes of individual dog breeds over a period of 20 years, from 1993 to 2013. Some of the results were startling to me: the substantial growth in registrations of some breeds, and the dramatic decline by a factor of 2 for a few others. If we want to understand why that may be, the place to begin is to get more data. But instead of attacking the overwhelming number of data points that would have to be entered manually, hopefully looking at different kinds of information will be more instructive. One additional piece of information that may be useful is the number of Championships and Grand Championships earned and their relationship to the number of registrations. These data are available on the AKC website.
The Norwegian Kennel Club has relased this statement to the press: “The Swedish Kennel Club (SKK) has given their support to NKK and our efforts for improving dog welfare in China. The SKK go even further in their statement by asking their General Assembly to either change their membership terms with FCI, or start negotiations […]
On July 14, 2015, the National Animal Interest Alliance released a Survey of Shelter Dog Composition: Mutts vs. Purebreds. The survey was produced as a part of the Shelter Dog project which is designed to “provide information about shelter issues to interested parties.” The description of the Shelter project found on the NAIA website goes on to say, “Without accurate data, we will never understand pet population trends well enough to define and solve the problems we face.” It is an oft-quoted truism that an accurate diagnosis is 90% of the cure. Our society’s struggle with pet population and euthanasia reduction is both fluid and complicated. The acquisition of objective information must be a priority for all stakeholders.
Many of the heartwarming stories of pets being reunited with their families after many years and miles apart would not be possible if the pets weren’t microchipped or the information associated with the chip was out of date. To remind pet owners to have their pets microchipped and to keep the registration information current, the […]
It has been a difficult time for people from Belgians and other breeds recently. Early in May, an exhibitor was reported by her landlord, and when law enforcement entered the property a number of dogs were found dead by starvation with a couple of others emaciated, but clinging to life. Rescues stepped in and breeders took dogs back, but tragic and irreversible damage had been done. Sadly, this happens with remarkable frequency, leaving responsible owners and breeders to ponder the motivation and circumstances that contribute to these horrific situations.
