Where does HSUS Money Go?

H$U$ (Humane Society of the United States) porports to be an animal welfare organization. It has over $150 MILLION in assets. In 2008 alone it collected over $82 MILLION ($82,000,000) in donations. So, where does it spend it's money?

Campaigns, litigation and legislation against hunters, dog breeders, chicken farmers, etc. cost $20M. $24M (28 cents of every dollar) went into fund raising. $31M went to salaries...H$U$ has 41 employees making over $100,000.

Out of the $82,000,000 raised, only $4,700,000 was spent in grants. And, over half of that went to “Californians for Humane Farms,” the main lobbying organization responsible for California’s “Proposition 2” ballot initiative.

So, how much $$ did the animals actually get? H$US gave only a little more than $450,000—that’s just half of one percent (.005) of its total budget—in grants to organizations providing hands-on care to dogs and cats.

If you truly care for animals, don't give your money to H$U$. Give to your local shelter!

Another Example Of HSUS Idea of "Rescue"

A Baltimore Sun investigation reveals that 19 HEALTHY horses HSUS & Baltimore city officials confiscated last month from street peddlers who sell produce in urban neighborhoods have been penned up under a rat infested tent & forgotten about.

Bob Wood, a Baltimore veteran of training horses for polo, grew suspicious while viewing photos of these horses. After looking into it further, Wood couldn’t disguise his disgust when talking to the Sun:

At the time the horses were seized, the Humane Society of the United States said "many of the horses were suffering from medical ailments including parasite infestation, malnutrition & extremely overgrown hooves."

Mr. Wood says that's an exaggeration, and that the words "parasite" & "malnutrition" appear nowhere on the citations against horse owners, Mr. Savoy & the Chases. After reviewing the documents, Mr. Wood concluded that only two animals had serious problems. Most of the violations were innocuous, he says, or the kind of things common to stables.


HSUS is trying to raise $1 MILLION by 12/31/2009 for it's "Animal Survivor Fund." Yet it couldn't use any of the $162 MILLION it already has to care for the animals it had seized! WHERE IS YOUR MONEY GOING TO? Salaries, travel & lobbying officials - NOT to the animals!

MSN - Compensation for Diminished Value

Dogs & cats are personal property, like your house, for example. If I rezone where you live and that rezoning diminishes the value, you have a claim forcompensation. If the government takes part of your land to widen the road, you have a claim for compensation for value lost.

Adhering to msn laws devalue your property as well. You lose the potential stud fees and/or puppy sales. You are thus entitled to compensation from the entity that passed these laws. The affected dog and cat fancy need to make claims for this lost income and, if not paid, need to begin filing class action lawsuits on this issue.

Apparently They Never Learn! - Phoenix, AZ

Item 33 on the agenda of the October 21st Phoenix City Council meeting includes a proposal to: An increase in the bond requirement - $500 per animal to defray some of the cost and care of the animal during the time the animal is under Arizona Humane society care. Any unused bond amount is to be returned to the owner.

And, A separate disposition process - A law enforcement officer may request a hearing if there is probable cause to believe that an animal has been cruelly mistreated or cruelly neglected. At the hearing, the court may determine by a preponderance of the evidence whether an animal has been cruelly mistreated or cruelly neglected. If the court makes such a finding, the court may order the animal: (1) forfeited to the officer or agent to be made available for adoption or for transfer to a legally incorporated humane society or approved rescue agency, or (2) humanely destroyed.

***

Has the Phoenix legal counsel reviewed this in view of the recent decision in the U.S. District Court (Louisville Kennel Club, Inc Et AL vs Louisville Jefferson County Metro Government)? This Court found that dogs are personal property [under the 14th Amendment to the US Constititution], and the requirement of a seizure bond is unconstitutional and a finding of guilt - not merely probable cause - must occur before a court can take your property. The Court furthered reasoned that no ordinance provision nullifies a warrant requirement and a warrant must be obtained prior to seizure.

Item 33 appears counter to this US District Court ruling and if implemented Phoenix Is likely to face expensive litigation on this matter.

Are owners due restitution for monetary losses

I now have a copy of the judgement rendered by US District Court Judge Charles Simpson III in the Louisville Kennel Club, Inc ET AL. X Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government. One of the most important parts of his ruling is the affirmation that dogs are personal property. As such, I am the OWNER of my dogs and not their guardian. And, as an OWNER, I am due restitution for any devaluation or "taking" of my property.

The question now becomes: Does mandatory spay/neuter constitute a devaluation of property? It does deprive the owner of puppies from that dog and from the income that could be derived from those puppies. While this could be an issue with mixed breed puppies, it becomes an even larger issue with purebred puppies that are often sold for hundreds of dollars each.

Does a government that enacts mandatory spay/neuter laws have to reimburse dog owners for their loss of potential stud fees and puppy sales? I urge owners living under such a rule to file a class action demanding just compensation for this mandate.

Louisville Kennel Club Lawsuit Decided!

This past Friday the federal judge finally issued his decision in the case of Louisville Kennel Club, et al vs. Metro Government. The final ruling ran to over 20 pages and will have sweeping impact on a national level as well as in Louisville.

Judge Simpson found that the determination between altered and unaltered dogs is without merit and therefore the requirement of inspection of enclosures for unaltered dogs by Animal Control is unconstitutional.

He additionally found that dogs are personal property [under the 14th Amendment to the US Constititution], and the requirement of a seizure bond (where you must post a bond upon a showing of probable cause and if you cannot post the bond your animals become the property of the state, city etc.)is unconstitutional and a finding of guilt must occur before a court can take your property.

the Court reasoned that no ordinance provision nullifies a warrant requirement and a warrant must be obtained prior to seizure.

Chardonnay - 10 weeks

Here's our puppy, Chardonnay, at 10 weeks old. As a singleton, she's totally spoiled and working on training US.

AVMA Response to HSUS Blog

Ron DeHaven, DVM, AVMA’S CEO said: “Once again, Mr. Pacelle has resorted to misleading statements. His attempt to paint the AVMA and veterinarians in a negative light is little more than an attempt to raise more money for his organization. Veterinarians choose their careers because they care about animals. At the same time, veterinarians understand that, when it comes to animal welfare, a knee-jerk response based solely on emotion, not science, might not be in the best interest of animals.

"For example, the AVMA's stance against a ban on horse processing in the United States was not taken because we are ‘pro-slaughter,’ but because we know there is a large population of unwanted horses in this country, and feared what would happen if those horses couldn't be humanely euthanized in a regulated environment. Unfortunately, our fears have come true and have been made worse by the current economic climate. Large numbers of horses are being abandoned and left to starve across the country. Mr. Pacelle's stance has only increased the suffering of horses in the United States.

"Mr. Pacelle is ignoring the legitimate concerns of animal welfare scientists and veterinarians, and misleading the American public to further his organization's agenda,” continued DeHaven. “If he truly cared about the welfare of animals, he would not be so quick to criticize and minimize the input of veterinary experts." Well said!

Obviously, HSUS is frustrated that they are not controlling AVMA, so therefore they are slinging as much mud as they can, and using this opportunity to bolster their Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association and other groups.

Pacelle finished his blog with, “We’d like some day to stand shoulder to shoulder with the AVMA on matters relating to the defense of animals. But too often, we stand on opposite sides of the major policy debates for animal welfare in America.” So in other words, if AVMA toes the line with HSUS’s “vast” food-animal welfare knowledge, they’ll stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them, but until then, HSUS will try to drag AVMA – and any other food animal veterinary organizations -- down by any means possible. Let’s make sure that doesn’t happen.

Geni Wren, Editor

Bovine Veterinarian

LA becomes Slaughterhouse after mandaory spay/neuter passed

All of the statistics quoted below come from California Department of Public Health.

* 96,630 animals were admitted to the Los Angeles County sheltering system in 2008, which is a 55,178 increase from 2007. This is a 133-percent increase in the year after a spay/neuter mandate was passed into law.

* If compared to the state, Los Angeles County alone exceeded the entire statewide increase in shelter admissions, and is 11 times higher than the state average.

* In 2008, the entire state of California saw a 16.4-percent increase in euthanasia, to 153,793 (an increase of 21,677).

*HOWEVER, ALMOST ALL OF THE ENTIRE STATEWIDE INCREASE IN SHELTER EUTHANAIS IN CALIFORNIA CAME FROM LOS ANGELES COUNTY ALONE IN THE YEAR FOLLOWING MANDATORY SPAY/NEUTER! The Los Angeles County shelter system euthanasia rate rose by an incredible 178-percent in the year following the ordinance. In 2007, 12,118 dogs had to be killed in the county. In 2008, this soared to 33,601 dogs.

* The official state data shows that following the spay/neuter ordinance, LA County experienced a 107-percent increase in animal control captures of abandoned dogs, a 163-percent increase in owner surrenders by people who cannot afford to keep their pets and comply with the law, and a 153-percent increase in abandoned dogs brought to the shelters by good Samaritans.

If you think that statistics like these are unique to LA County, here's a link to an article about Dallas' experience with mandatory spay/neuter.

http://www.thedogplace.org/PROJECTS/State/0907-Spay-Neuter-Dallas_Yates.asp

And of course you can read about Santa Cruz's "success" in the blog below this one.

Santa Cruz County Proves Mandatory Spay/Neuter Doesn't Work

* Santa Cruz County, California passed mandatory spay/neuter in 1995 and is often held up as a model of how that "works." So, let's take a look at how it actually works and compare Santa Cruz with other Counties that don't have mandatory spay/neuter.

* Santa Cruz County’s euthanasia rates are higher than those in nearby counties such as Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, and Marin — none of which have mandatory spay/neuter laws.

* Santa Cruz County’s euthanasia rates are 44% higher than San Diego County’s, which does not have mandatory spay/neuter.

* Santa Cruz County’s euthanasia rates are more than 4 times higher than Nevada County’s, which does not have mandatory spay/neuter.

* Santa Cruz County’s euthanasia rates are 16 times higher than Calgary’s, the best animal control program in North America, where they also do not have mandatory spay/neuter.

In addition to soaring euthanasia rates, costs for animal control in Santa Clara have also soared. Costs for Santa Cruz County as a whole have doubled - from approximately $650,000 a year to over $1,300,000. For example, the city of Watson's contribution to the Santa Cruz County Animal Services Authority has spiked $100,000 to more than $490,000.

In Capitola, the decision to drop out of the agency June 30, the end of the fiscal year, was based on the bottom line, said City Manager Richard Hill. That city has seen its costs triple in recent years. Capitola was expected to pay in excess of $70,000 in the coming year. Since the agency serves little more than 100 animals from Capitola each year, the price tag was too high, he said.

Even this data does not seem to have proved to Californians and others that mandatory spay/neuter laws do not work. For example, California's SB250 threatens to take this law statewide. Can California afford the increased costs?

Increased costs are not the only impact the passage of SB250 will have on California. Decreased revenue is another. Each year over 1100 AKC events are held in that state with each bringing $300,000 to $1,000,000 into the local economy coffers. How many of these events will be eliminated once SB250 passes? Can Californians afford to lose this revenue?

Istari Blanc De Blanc

Athena had her baby by C-section last week. We had one girl puppy. It was touch and go for a few days as we tube fed her. But, now she's out of the woods & demanding mom's attention 24/7. We've named this baby after our favorite sparkling wine _ Blanc De Blanc. Her call name is Chardonnay.

Is HSUS fulfilling its non-profit charter?

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is recognized as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization by the Internal Revenue Service. But, is the HSUS in compliance with requirements to maintain its 501 (c) 3 tax-exempt status? According to Cheryl McAuliffe, Georgia Director for the HSUS, activist and lobbying efforts form the bulk of her activities. According to IRS 501 (c) 3 regulations:

“In general, no organization may qualify for section 501(c)(3) status if a substantial part of its activities is attempting to influence legislation (commonly known as lobbying ). A 501(c)(3) organization may engage in some lobbying, but too much lobbying activity risks loss of tax-exempt status. An organization will be regarded as attempting to influence legislation if it contacts, or urges the public to contact, members or employees of a legislative body for the purpose of proposing, supporting, or opposing legislation, or if the organization advocates the adoption or rejection of legislation.”

The Humane Society of the Unites States dedicates a vast amount of resources toward introducing and influencing legislation. You only need to look at its website tracking to see HSUS legislative efforts at the state and federal levels as well as through ballot initiatives.

Only 4% percentage of donations made to the Humane Society of the United States are granted to local shelters and Humane Societies. In 2007, less than 6 million dollars were handed out as US grants out of the 152 million taken in. In addition, large percentage of the grants were handed out to organizations that did not provide direct care to animals in need.

So, if the HSUS is not fulfilling its 501(c)3 non-profit charter, then all of its income should be taxable. And, the US and state governments are losing out on millions of dollars of badly needed revenue.

We urge our readers to take the following actions:

1. Cease donating any money to HSUS. Instead, send your donations to your local animal shelter.

2. Contact your state senators and representatives asking for an investigation into the HSUS policies and practices as they relate to their non-profit status. Let them know that there may be monies due the state if they are not following the non-profit guidelines.

3. Contact your local news organizations asking for a similar investigation.

4. And most importantly, contact the Internal Revenue Service at Internal Revenue Service
Criminal Investigations
Fresno, CA 93888

Getting the Nursery Ready

AKC/UKC Champion Sierra's Athena (pictured below) has been bred to Sierra's The West Wing (pictured above). While we never count puppies before they're born, it looks like the breeding took. Puppies are expected mid-June. This will be Athena's last litter and our only Eskie litter for 2009. We can't wait to see these little bundles of white fluff.

Animal Rights Activist on FBI most wanted list

In other animal rights news, the FBI today placed Daniel Andreas San Diego on its list of most-wanted terrorists. He is wanted in connection with summer 2003 explosions at a California biotechnology research laboratory, Chiron Life Sciences Centre and another facility. The FBI has offered a $250,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.

"Animal rights and environmental extremism pose a significant domestic terror threat," the FBI said in a press statement. It said that animal-rights extremists have caused more than $110m in damages.

Helmsley Trust Grants

Most of you know that billionaire Leona Helmsley left $12 million to her Maltese and directed the majority of her estate be directed towards "purposes related to the provision of care for dogs," along with other charities. However, in February judge, Troy K. Webber of Surrogate’s Court in Manhattan decided that he knew better what should be done with Mrs. Helmsley's estate. He reduced the Maltese's share to $2 million, gave $6 million to each of the two grandchildren she explicitly excluded and told the trustees they weren't limited to dog related charities and could divy up her monies as THEY saw fit.

So, out of the $136 million in grants today, only $1 million went to the dogs. The monies went to service dog organizations, seeing eye dog organizations and dogs for the deaf. The only good thing is that none of it went to the animal rights groups, PETA and HSUS.

American Shetland Sheepdog Association National Specialty Show

The American Shetland Sheepdog Association (ASSA) will be holding its National Specialty Show in Perry, GA April 18 - 26. Obedience, agility, junior showmanship, futurity and conformationwill be held at Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter. Herding will be held at Woods End in Watkinsville, GA. Visitors are welcome


For more information see: http://www.sscgeorgia.org/national//welcome.html

Phoenix CABRA Microchip & Vaccine Clinic

The Coalition of All Breed Rescue Assoc. (CABRA) will be holding microchip and vaccine clinics Sunday May 17th, 2009 and Sunday July 19th, 2009 from 10 AM to 3 PM.

LOCATION: University of Arizona Maricopa Co. Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway in Phoenix.

HOW TO GET THERE: I-10 to 40th St., South to Broadway and then east on Broadway to 43rd Pl. Building is on the south side of Broadway at 43rd Place.

If you have less than 6 animals to chip or vaccinate, the cost for microchipping is $15 and vaccines will cost $15 for micrchipped pets and $20 for pets without microchips.

Ch. Voodoo Retires

Ch. Voodoo has officially retired from the show ring. Her new career will entail couch lizard and bed buddy to David & Yvonne Heron and their 5 year old daughter.

Sad but happy day

Clue and Stevie left today for their retirement home. The lovely couple with them are Gene & Diana Dieckhoner from Sedona. Gene is a gifted artist http://www.genedieckhoner.com/ and his wife is his manager. We know that Clue and Stevie will be spoiled by them.

Feeding your dog raw foods

Dogs are relatives of the wolf and originally ate raw foods. Nowadays it is common for owners to feed commercially made cooked (kibble) foods. Cooking is supposed to destroy harmful bacteria and parasites and to insure adequate shelf life of the food. But, cooking also removes some of the nutrients that our pets need. And, after the problem with the Chinese tainted gluten in US foods, we can't really say that kibble is "safer" than feeding raw.

Raw feeders often say that they feed "BARF" - bones and raw food. Feeding BARF is not the same as merely throwing a bunch of raw meat at the dogs. BARF diets include raw meat, vegetables and supplements but does not include grains or other carbohydrates. BARF includes meats from different animals - beef, pork, chicken and turkey are often available without too much searching. You can also incorporate fish and other animals. Organ meat, particularly liver should be 5 to 10% of the diet.

Here in Phoenix, there is a yahoo group called PhxBARF that discusses feeding raw. And, there is a Phoenix-area BARF food-buying co-op, visit http://www.azrawbones.com/ Various raw foods can be purchased in Surprize, AZ from Susie's Doggy Delights http://www.suzysdoggiedelights.us/

We took our retired Eskie, Voodoo along with two Shelties (Clue and Stevie) to the vet today for spays & neuter. Dr. Turner works with several breeders and I was able to watch the entire procedure. It's really very interesting... took about an hour per dog. Each dog also got their rabies shots updated.



Speaking of rabies... We reported previously that Arizona has been experiencing a severe rabies outbreak. About a week ago a bobcat walked right into a bar and bit 3 people. Now, to be honest, one of the 3 asked to be bitten. He walked right up to the bobcat and bent down to take a picture of it with his cell phone. Not real bright. Coconino county is proposing a 90 day pet quarantine while it distributes edible rabies vaccine for the wild animals. Rabies has been confirmed in 21 wild animals in the area since November. This plan would require owners to keep dogs and cats on their property or leashed for 90 days while vaccines are distributed across parts of Flagstaff.

PETA suing Animal Rights Organization

As an avid animal lover I fully support animal WELFARE incentives and generally take a stance against animal RIGHTS organizations. However, when any group is actually helping animals, they deserve our support in that effort. And Friends of Animals Primate sanctuaries are one such group.

PETA is suing Friends of Animals, an animal rights organization which actually operates animal sanctuaries. One such is Friends of Primarily Primates (PPI) http://www.primarilyprimates.org/. PPI provides a lifelong home for elderly monkeys, birds with neurotic habits such as feather-plucking, and animals who exhibit sicknesses because labs bred them that way. They’re accepted at one of the few places in the world willing to care for them.




PETA brought its first lawsuit against PPI in 2006 and has since lost two lawsuits against them. PETA’s latest suit alleges that PPI is in violation of the “dangerous wild animals” statute. The suit asks the Court to force PPI to get rid of all of its “dangerous wild animals,” including its chimpanzees, African lion, and baboons. But, the “dangerous wild animals” statute does not apply to animal shelters.

PETA insists that PPI is not an animal shelter, and PETA's attorneys go on to argue that even if PPI IS an animal shelter, it is violating the rules and regulations governing animal shelters. In this vein, Plaintiff has asked the Court to (1) force PPI to pave over its outdoor enclosures with natural grass flooring, (2) separate non-breeding males and females living in family groups; and (3) separate cockateils from parrots and brown-tailed lemurs and ring-tailed lemurs.

In other words, PETA, who's idea of "saving" thousands of dogs and cats is to euthanize over 97% of them, is trying to tell PPI how an animal sanctuary should be run! It is not clear whether PETA’s suits are the beginning of a movement to shut down all animal sanctuaries or just another PETA publicity idea. However, as a $30 million per year organization, PETA can afford to file all the frivolous lawsuits it wants and bleed PPI out of existance financially.

Food Allergies & Your Dog

Did you know that the most common foods dogs are allergic to are proteins? Beef, pork, lamb, chicken, corn, and soy are common culprits. Allergic reactions show up within a day of eating the offending food - often within a few hours. Reactions can entail gas attacks, diarrhea, itching and skin problems. So, what do you do when you suspect your dog has a food allergy? You'll have to put your dog on a special diet.

To begin with, use a different protein source. (Did you know that lamb based food was originally introduced as an alternative for dogs allergic to beef and chickan because lamb was very rarely used in dog food?) Try duck, venison, fish or, if you can find it, rabbit.

Also ensure that there is no corn or soy in the food. Look for rice, oatmeal, barley or sweet potatoes. The first food I like to recommend when food allergies are suspected is California Natural Herring & Sweet Potato. The reason I recommend this food is because herring and fish are not often allergens and there is a very small number of ingredients in this food. Thus, limiting possible allergins.

Other foods to consider when food allergies are suspected include, but are not limited to: Avoderm trout & brown rice; Wellness Rice & Duck Formula; Orijen 6 Fresh Fish with Sea Vegetables Dry Dog Food; Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Venison Formula Dry Dog Food; and Eagle Pack Holistic Select Duck & Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food.

Whatever food you choose, make sure you read ALL the ingredients. Sometimes you will find a common allergin listed well into the body of these.

Arizona Rabies Outbreak

The Arizona Republic is reporting that Arizona is in the midst of an ongoing rabies outbreak. State health officials warn the public to stay away from wild animals, particularly those acting strangely or aggressively.

"Fifty-nine animals - primarily skunks and foxes - have tested positive for the viral illness, which can be deadly if not treated quickly. So far, those rabid animals have exposed seven people and 39 domestic animals to the disease. Campers have reported being attacked by foxes on trails, and some skunks have even entered private yards, lured by the possibility of food, health officials said. Hardest-hit areas include Flagstaff and parts of Pima, Cochise and Santa Cruz counties in the southern part of the state, officials said."

So, make sure your dogs are up-to-date on their rabies shots and take care when hiking.

AKC Ch./BIMBS U-Ch. Sunnyvale Christmas Cowboy

We've shown you pictures of our youngster Crash previously. I just thought I'd share some of his great-great grandfather, Nick, today. Nick is both an AKC champion and a UKC Best In Multiple Breed Show (BIMBS) champion. Nick is retired from the shows now and spends his time lounging.

Boycotting PETCO

PETCO's brochure Choosing the Perfect Dog states: "PETCO encourages you to adopt your new dog from a shelter or other reputable animal welfare organization rather than from breeders..."

(Diva)


As a breeder of purebred dogs I find this recommendation insulting. A well bred purebred dog will be the result of a breeding between two HEALTHY parents who have been as thoroughly screened for health problems as modern science will allow. Responsible breeders will answer your questions and share their experiences and knowledge with you. They can provide background on the breed and discuss the characteristics of the adult dog. Breeders have experience to give puppies the care and nurturing they need at critical early stages. This not only ensures you’ll have a healthy puppy, but that the puppy is much less likely to develop into a difficult adult. Breeders will guide you in proper care and feeding, health issues and training. Breeders are there to help you and will continue to provide information and support as your puppy grows.

But, back to PETCO... It is obvious from the opening statement in their brochure that they do not support responsible breeders of purebred dogs. Therefore, why should WE support them? There are plenty of places to purchase dog food and supplies besides PETCO. The most obvious of these is Petsmart. Petsmart supports shelters, low cost spay/neuter and disaster assistance without being anti-breeder.

Please DO NOT support PETCO!

Support the National Animal Interest Alliance

The National Animal Interest Alliance is an association of business, agricultural, scientific, and recreational interests dedicated to promoting animal welfare, supporting responsible animal use and strengthening the bond between humans and animals. Our members are pet owners, dog and cat clubs, obedience clubs and rescue groups as well as breeders, trainers, veterinarians, research scientists, farmers, fishermen, hunters and wildlife biologists.


http://www.naiaonline.org/about/index.htm

Jed Wins Again!

Of course, the day when it's 90 degrees Scottsdale Dog fanciers Association schedules American Eskimo Dogs to show at 12:45. This didn't stop Jed from struttin' his stuff, however. He was Winners Dog, Best of Winners and Best of Breed for a nice 3 point major! Congratulations also to Kathy Workman whose bitch was Winners Bitch, Best of Opposite Sex.

Arizona's First "breeding fee"?

Arizona House Bill 2458 Section F establishes a dog "breeding fee" for the first time. This bill states if your unlicensed dog is picked up by any animal shelter you have the choice of having him/her spayed/neutered or paying a $250 breeding fee to have your dog released. This is in addition to any other fees and/or fines that might be imposed.

Now you say that this won't apply to you since your dog is licensed. But, does your dog wear his license at all times as specified in Arizona law? Even in your backyard? Even at the shows? If not and your dog gets loose, welcome to HB2458!

Second, if the goal is to encourage licensing and containment of dogs, how does instituting a breeders fee encourage this? It doesn't. Far better to require licensing and microchipping for the first offense and increased fines for a 2nd or 3rd offense. And, if your dog is found loose more than 3 times, you don't deserve to keep the dog.

This bill was dreamed up by Dr. Silva of Maricopa County Care and Control with the backing of HSUS. Why? You would think that this would be because there was a significant number of owned but unlicensed dogs running loose. But, data doesn't show this. Maddie's Fund data for MCCAC shows that of the 44000 dogs taken in during 2007-2008, less than 6000 were returned to owners. And, how many of these weren't licensed? We don't know because MCCAC doesn't keep those statistics!

Anyway, this bill was introduced by Arizona Representative Steve Court. Mr. Court's email address is scourt@azleg.gov and his office phone is (602) 926-4467. He needs to hear that we all
SAY NO TO BREEDERS FEES!

DSSA UKC Show

The Desert Southwest Shetland Sheepdog Assoc. had its annual show weekend last weekend. We hold 2 shows on Saturday and 2 shows on Sunday. These are all day events and by the end I and the rest of the club members were exhausted. Our shows were very successful and everyone had fun. We had a photographer at these shows who took TONS of photos. Proofs of these photos can be seen at www.davidscantorphotography.com

One highlight of these shows was that Heidi, a bitch we cobred (Sunnyvale Hide N Seek) won all 4 Sheltie champion classes and went on to two Best in Shows! Heidi was shown by her owner and cobreeder, Beki Vale.

Jed at the Shows

We took Jed to the AKC shows February 5 & 6th. We are very pleased to say that he was Winners Dog & Best of Breed both days!

We've been tagged!

We've been tagged so I'm suppose to open my pictures file and post the 5th picture from the 5th folder. Here it is...

This is our son-in-law, Casey, with our two grandsons - Cavan, age 3, and baby Gage. This photo was taken Christmas 2008. Below is a picture of the two boys with mom, Rebecca, opening presents.

New UKC Champion

new U-CH. Istari Full Throttle

Keith took Crash to the UKC shows this weekend to get him some ring practice before the Sheltie specialty show next weekend. And, they did great! Keith and Crash were Winners Male, Best of Winners, Best of Breed and placed in the Herding Group each show.

First Match

Edward and Jacob went to their first match over the weekend. Here are a few candid pictures of Edward with Keith and Jacob with co-breeder/co-owner, Beki Vale.


Training Session???


Edward in the ring:


Jacob trucking along.

Today as I was watching the news about the plane crash into the Hudson river (thankfully everyone survived), Edward was digging his way to China on a round, fluffy dog bed across the room. Scratch, scratch, scratch - lay down and check it out. Get up, scratch, scratch, scratch some more. Finally, he lays down and it must be just right because he heaved a great sigh and rolled over on his side... RIGHT OFF THE BED!!!! At which point Jacob came bounding into the room, jumped on the dog bed and curled up and went to sleep.

I wish I'd had a videocamera with me!

Trouble and Mischief ???

Since retirement I’ve settled into a routine now of staying up until 3 a.m. and then sleeping until 10:00 a.m. So this morning I’m woken up (around 8ish) because I heard the swimming pool man. A few minutes later I hear him leave and I start to snuggle back in… only to think “hmmm, the puppies didn’t bark. Maybe I should go take a look.” (The puppies are in a double x-pen on the patio between the living room and the pool.)

So I toddle out of bed and there’s Jacob (bi black) in the pen where he should be. And, there’s Edward (bi blue) happily running around the pool! It appears that Edward climbed out of the short side of the pen. Luckily he didn’t fall in the pool.

So, today we were busy rearranging things with taller x-pens. I keep thinking that Trouble and Mischief would be more appropriate names for these two than Edward and Jacob.