Page 247 - ShowSight - January 2020

Candid Candidates - Part Two
BY LINDA AYERS TURNER KNORR continued
Foundation Stock Service (FSS) breed. The program produced over 66,000 entries for our clubs and was a great financial success. The revenue produced from Achiever dog helped many clubs and their need for more entries. It was significant for many.
4. The AKC is a not-for profit organization while all of the other competing canine sport organizations or registries in the U.S. are for profit. Yet, it is a common belief that the AKC “is all about the money”. What are your thoughts about the apparent inconsistency?
For profit competitors do not offer much to their audiences. For example, they do not financially support canine health research, a microchip program that saved over 300,000 dogs, or provide a program for groomers and trainers. They do not support owners and lost pets during natural disasters, fund veterinary scholarships or host a robust program for juniors.
We need to get better at telling our story and develop a series of messages that reach the public that are compelling.
5. Do you feel that ventures like the LINK collar and the Doggie Day Care are consistent with AKC’s mission?
Dog related investments are consistent with the mission and goals of the AKC because they are efforts that support the needs of the dog owning public.
6. There are 75 breeds in the AKC Foundation Stock Ser- vice program, 64 of them are in three groups. What are your thoughts on bringing new breeds into full recognition and their impact on our current Group structure? What is your opinion of how this recognition may be simplified or improved?
I did a study for the AKC Board that included the 28 new breeds added to the stud book in the past 10 years. It was trou- bling to learn that all of the 28 new breeds with only 2 exceptions have all remained a Low Entry breed. Low Entry breeds today now represent 50% of the stud book and therefore are contributing to the decline of dog show entries. The data also suggests that once a new breed is admitted to the stud book there is no incentive for the new breed to grow, become more diverse and remain healthy. AKC needs to update its policy about new breeds and the Foun- dation Stock Service. It needs to include expectations for the new breed and their new parent club. The policy needs to address lit- ters, dog registrations, participation in the sport and club mem- bership. This recommendation should also be extended to the 75 breeds in the Foundation Stock Service. The impact of new breeds on the groups needs a lot of study and deserves close attention by the board.
7. What are you thoughts regarding term limits for AKC Delegate Committees?
I think the current system of electing delegates to each com- mittee works well for the delegates and appears to be acceptable to most delegates
8. Is it in the best interest of the AKC to place term limits for members of the AKC Board Of Directors?
Term limits for board members has been in place for several years. When the concept first came before the delegate body, it was thought to be needed to force turn over on the board. Since then the delegates have continued to vote out and retain those they believe should serve. We do not need term limits.
9. How do you reconcile the fact that often the AKC Board of Directors must make decisions that may not please the Delegate body yet may be necessary to fulfill their fiduciary responsibility to AKC?
The board has the fiduciary responsibility to oversee and steer the direction of the AKC. This requires understanding all of the factors that impact the business of the organization. Before the board takes action, it discusses, studies and reviews the data under-
lying the decision. Delegates usually do not have access to this level of information and therefore are not in a position to second guess the work of the staff and the board. Therefore, from time to time there are misunderstandings with in the delegate body about some of the board discussions.
10. What is your strategic vision for the future of the AKC? Where should we strive to be in the next ten years?
The strategic vision for the AKC should periodically be reviewed along with the accomplishments. A report should be given the del- egates that includes what is working and what needs attention. Fea- tures that should be addressed are:
• Each sport and its family friendly status
• An endowment that financially helps to promote the wellbeing
of purebred dogs
• Projects that are aimed at government relations and the welfare
of dog ownership
• Financial support for canine research.
DR. MICHAEL KNIGHT
1. The AKC has long advocated for the value of the purpose-bred dog. However, the com- petitive nature of the AKC’s tra- ditional sports encourages own- ers to specialize to succeed. What can be done to encour- age breeders and owners to embrace all of the char- acteristics of the purpose-bred dog?
One suggestion is to offer different levels of an AKC registered dog such
as the basic registration and advanced registration. Advanced reg- istration would have requirements that closely follow the current concerns of that breed. This is not a one size fits all type of regis- tration, as each breed has specific known genetic and other issues. The AKC should partner with each Parent Club to identify breed- specific issues and use this information to create the various levels of AKC registrations. In order to encourage breeders and owners to embrace all of the characteristics of the purpose-bred dog, we need to keep in mind the additional costs that the breeder is incurring to have the additional levels of testing done. Contrary to the typi- cal thought process of the higher the registration status the more it should cost, I believe that in this case, AKC should charge less for the advanced registration while charging more for the basic regis- tration. In essence, AKC would be promoting and rewarding the breeder for going the extra mile. Most of all, the AKC should be more Purebred Dog friendly and strive to help not only the breed- ers, but the clubs who are striving to succeed in the face of declining entries and loss of venues. They must get back to the purpose for which they were formed and not venture in the wrong direction, which I feel they are doing. I will work, when I am elected to the Board, to bring back to the Board that idea of helping and promot- ing the purebred dog and the people who are striving to make sure
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