What's New at AustralianCattleDog.com

What's New?? AKC Sportmanship Code

Link: AKC Adopts New Code of Sportsmanship.

AKC Adopts New Code of Sportsmanship

The American Kennel Club Board of Directors, as a result of the Chairman's Committee on Conflict of Interest, recently approved      the first-ever written Code of Sportsmanship for the sport of purebred dogs.

According to AKC Chairman Ron Menaker he hopes people will “take time to read and practice the new code and appreciate the value a  Code of Sportsmanship adds to the experience of being a member of  ‘the fancy’.”

Vice Chairman David C. Merriam said the concepts of good sportsmanship have been “unspoken but understood” in the sport for a  long time. The new written code “is a reinforcement of the traditions in the sport that have been developed.”

So whether an experienced fancier or novice exhibitor these principles are what make the sport of purebred dogs so special, Merriam stressed.
            
The following is the new AKC Code of Sportsmanship in its entirety:

AKC Code of Sportsmanship

          PREFACE: The sport of purebred dog competitive events dates prior to 1884, the year of AKC's birth. Shared values of those involved  in the sport include principles of sportsmanship. They are practiced in all sectors of our sport: conformation, performance and companion. Many believe that these principles of sportsmanship are the prime reason why our sport has thrived for over one hundred years. Withthe belief that it is useful to periodically articulate the fundamentals of our sport, this code is presented.          

• Sportsmen respect the history, traditions and integrity of the sport of purebred dogs.
• Sportsmen commit themselves to values of fair play, honesty, courtesy, and vigorous competition, as well as winning and losing with grace.
• Sportsmen refuse to compromise their commitment and obligation to the sport of purebred dogs by injecting personal advantage or consideration into their decisions or behavior.
• The sportsman judge judges only on the merits of the dogs and considers no other factors.
• The sportsman judge or exhibitor accepts constructive criticism.
              
• The sportsman exhibitor declines to enter or exhibit under a judge where it might reasonably appear that the judge's placements could be based on something other than the merits of the dogs.
• The sportsman exhibitor refuses to compromise the impartiality of a judge.
• The sportsman respects the AKC bylaws, rules, regulations and policies governing the sport of purebred dogs.
• Sportsmen find that vigorous competition and civility are not inconsistent and are able to appreciate the merit of their competition and the effort of competitors.
• Sportsmen welcome, encourage and support newcomers to the sport.
• Sportsmen will deal fairly with all those who trade with them.
• Sportsmen are willing to share honest and open appraisals of both the strengths and weaknesses of their breeding stock.
• Sportsmen spurn any opportunity to take personal advantage of positions offered or bestowed upon them.
• Sportsmen always consider as paramount the welfare of their dog.
• Sportsmen refuse to embarrass the sport, the American Kenne Club, or themselves while taking part in the sport.

What's New?? When will ACDs be next?

Link: Dog Politics: The Killing Fields Of Denver.

Will ACDs be next???

891 dead and counting. 

That is the tally of the number of innocent dogs that have been confiscated and killed in the last year, since the reenactment of Denver's breed ban.

891 innocent dogs have deliberately killed - euthanized by the City Of Denver - according to Animal Control in Denver just last week.  The City Of Denver is killing innocent dogs at a rate of about 3 per day. 

Have these dogs have done anything wrong? No - that is - except for one thing - they were born the wrong breed.  They were born as pit bulls.

Denver's pit bull law is a breed ban.  It prohibits any person from owning, possessing, keeping, exercising control over, maintaining, harboring, or selling a pit bull in the City and County of Denver. A pit bull is defined as any dog that is an American Pit Bull Terrier, an American Staffordshire Terrier, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, or any dog displaying the majority of physical traits of any one or more of these breeds.

Denver's breed ban has one purpose - the forced elimination of a dog breed.  Denver's breed ban has also forced the owners of such dogs  to make a choice: surrender their dogs to be killed  or move out of the city.  Any remaining pitbull type dogs in Denver are rooted out, confiscated, sometimes surrendered, and killed.

Some call it immoral, unethical, and wrong.  Some call it an unconstitutional seizure of property.  I call Denver's breed ban something else..... 

What's New?? AKC Seeks Entries for Awards for Cani

AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB SEEKS ENTRIES FROM ACROSS THE NATION FOR 7th ANNUAL AWARDS FOR CANINE EXCELLENCE

Is Your Dog Among the Country’s Bravest, Boldest and Best Companions?

New York, NY – Is your canine the kind that always lifts your spirits when you’re feeling blue? Do you know a dog that helps the sick feel better? Heard of a pooch who played a role in a dramatic rescue? If so, what better way to pay tribute to a deserving dog than by nominating him for an American Kennel Club Award for Canine Excellence (AKC ACE)?

An American Kennel Club ACE award is a national honor, given to only five dogs each year who have performed an exemplary act or series of acts, whether large or seemingly small, that have significantly benefited a community or individual. One award is given in the following five categories: Law Enforcement, Search and Rescue, Therapy, Service and Exemplary Companion Dog. Honorable Mentions will be reserved for exceptional entries in each category.

In addition to the prestige of being chosen from hundreds of entries, each of the five honorees receives a cash award of $1,000, an engraved sterling silver collar medallion and an all-expenses-paid trip for dog and owner to Long Beach, Calif., to be honored at the sixth annual AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in December, 2006. The engraved names of the five recipients will also be added to the ACE plaque that is permanently displayed on the AKC Library’s “Wall of Fame” in New York City. Dogs receiving honorable mention will be awarded an engraved bronze medallion. All entrants will receive an AKC ACE Certificate of Recognition in acknowledgement of their nomination.

Bull Run 2006 Raffle

Link: Bull Run 2006 Raffle.

The Bull Run Australian Cattle Dog Club is holding our
annual fundraising raffle. The drawing will be held on
Saturday, 4/15/06 in Harrisburg, PA.  Please visit our
webpage to see the prizes.  For every 10 tickets you
purchase, you receive one ticket free!

The raffle is open to anyone, not just club members.
Payment for tickets can be via Paypal or check.

http://www.bullrunacdclub.org/Raffle2006.html

The drawing will be held at our club's Annual Meeting
on 4/15/06 at the Appalachian Brewing Company,
Harrisburg, PA, at 4:30 pm. Winners do not need to be
present to win; however if you are not present, you
agree to pay any shipping charges for your
item.

Good luck! and thanks for your support.
Barb Finegan
Bull Run ACD Club President

What's New?? Update on Vivi - the lost Whippet

Link: American Whippet Club - Update on Vivi the Lost Whippet.

Several more sightings of Vivi today, including one very early morning encounter when a man walking his Doberman saw Vivi on the other side of the fence at the same cemetery where she’s been before. Apparently Vivi came right up, stood nose to nose with the Dobe and reportedly seemed happy to see it. She has not as far as we know responded to any dog before this since getting lost, but Jil says that one of Vivi’s best pals at the barn at home is a Doberman.

Jil and Rick have continued to walk and call. Obviously the sightings in the same area are encouraging, but it must be frustrating for them to be so close without seeing Vivi.

I was hoping these updates could be kept brief but would like to forward some information from Bonnie Folz and Karin Goin.

Follow the above link for more reading and suggestions for what to do when Vivi is seen.

What's New?? Del Monte Foods buys Milkbone for $580 Million

Link: Del Monte Foods bulks up on pet food.

Del Monte Foods Co. for the second time in two weeks has spent big money to bulk up its Pittsburgh-based pet foods operation, agreeing to acquire for $580 million the Milk-Bone brand from Kraft Foods Inc.

Earlier this month, San Francisco-based Del Monte announced it was acquiring the Meow Mix cat food line for roughly $705 million.

 

Milk-Bone is considered a leader in the dog snacks field, generating $180 million in revenues in 2005. The buy further bolsters Del Monte's ongoing strategy to concentrate on brand name lines that are looked to for higher profit margins and sales growth.

The company already owns the 9-Lives, Kibbles 'n Bits, Snausages and Pup-Peroni pet brands.

What's New?? A dogged pursuit: Where's Jack? - Orlando Sentinel : Features

Link: A dogged pursuit: Where's Jack? - Orlando Sentinel : Features.
(link has expired 4/1/06)

Ch Castle Butte Cactus Jack has been missing for nearly a year now in Florida.  The search continues.  Go to the above link for the full story appearing in today's Orlando Sentinal.  Not really something new - but the newspaper article is hot off the press.

Lost Whippet - Vivi Watch

Link: Animal House: Vivi Watch.
Here is the link to the frequently updated news on Vivi the lost Whippet from Westminster.  Seems they are still sighting her and hope is not lost.

More on Lost Whippet, Vivi

Link: Animal House: Ray of hope.

Local researchers canvassing the area where Vivi the whippet was sighted more than two weeks ago say workers there have told them they spotted a dog matching Vivi's description as recently as four days ago.

Surviving in that area of the airport is hardly unheard of for a small dog like Vivi, even in the dead of winter: Workers also report that previously, a small poodle took up residence in the sparsely trafficked cargo area for more than a year.

Today's snowfall provides hope that Vivi's tracks might be spotted overnight. Searchers believe she sleeps during the day in one of the area's unoccupied but heated cargo buildings, and hunts at night.

Vivi's owners are also working with the Port Authority to see how much expanded access they can get to the largely restricted area in the hopes of giving a pet detective the lattitude he or she might need in order to adequately search the area.

Search Called Off - Whippet

FORMAL SEARCH CALLED OFF FOR MISSING WESTMINSTER WHIPPET

The formal search for a Westminster award-winning Whippet that escaped from
her crate at New York's JFK Airport on Wednesday, February 15, has been
called off as of Sunday, February 26.