Page 146 - ShowSight - July 2019

AKC Legislative Conference
BY SUSAN B. THIBODEAUX continued
Bill Shelton, AKC judge and Corgi breeder, also spoke. He’s started a Facebook page to promote the conversation and protection of purebred dogs. Bill works tirelessly to promote the welfare and preservation of purposefully bred purebred dogs. His dedication to this work resounded through his presentation and we were moved by his passion for our sport.
The CEO of the AKC Canine Health Foun- dation, Diane Brown, DVM, spoke on the work the foundation has done in providing funds for research, which not only benefits purebred dogs but ultimately leads to better health for all dogs and people as well.
The CHF has provided more than $46 mil- lion in grants to improve canine health: not just purebreds, all dogs. Some of the cancer research AKC funded was noticed by researchers for human cancers, and in some areas, they are working col- laboratively, sharing research and data. Ultimately, these will benefit all. This is information we need to share with our lawmakers when we talk to them.
It is evident from the facts provided at the con- ference that we must align ourselves with other groups that are also working against anti-animal legislation. We had speakers from the National Animal Interest Alliance (NAIA), the Canadian Kennel Club and the International Association of Fairs and Expositions. Fair managers are regularly receiving protests, hate mail and even death threats to try to intimidate them into stopping the use of animal acts, exhibitions and shows.
The assistant deputy administrator of the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Ser- vice (Animal Care) was an interesting and informa- tive speaker. He was quite surprised by a number of questions and concerns we raised.
A large concern we had that he acknowledged as not being aware of but would be reviewing was the weaponization of the USDA’s primary definition of a commercial breeder (four breeding bitches). Because so many states and municipalities use that as a guideline, some AR supporters will call in and anonymously report a person with four bitches as an unlicensed breeder. This happens even if the breeder doesn’t meet the remainder of the criteria to require a license.
After lunch on the second day, we were let loose in the hallways of Congress to see our state repre- sentatives and senators. In most cases this meant a meeting with a staffer, but we were lucky with our meeting with Rep. Ross Spano. While the offi- cial meeting was with his aide, he pulled us into his office to show us pictures of his dog and chat with us about our pets. I was with two other won- derful ladies from Florida, Diane Roberts and Judy Seltrecht, and we discovered the hallways went on forever in those huge buildings.
Our main topic for discussion in our meet- ings with them was the issue of foreign dogs being imported for rescue and the lack of health docu- mentation and oversight. It was noted by one of our conference speakers that CDC, as a result of the farm bill passing with AKC support, report- ed well over one million dogs were brought into
This security guard was excited to see ‘AKC dog people’ and stopped us to share photos of his Miniature Schnauzer.
Rep Spano with the three legislative liaisons from Florida clubs.
140 • ShowSight Magazine, July 2019