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To make sure you continue receiving AKC emails, please add enews@akc.org mailto:enews@akc.org to your email address book. September 2009 Director’s Letter
For parents and children alike, September means one thing: back to school! Education is also a primary focus of the AKC and a crucial component of success in the legislative arena. The AKC’s Government Relations Department works closely with the AKC Public Education Department to get the word out about responsible ownership.
By educating children and adults about responsible ownership, we can proactively address many of the problems that spawn bad dog laws. For example, breed-specific legislation is routinely proposed following a dog-bite incident. Teaching owners to train their dogs is part of the solution. Another part of the solution is to teach communities to recognize that the breed of a dog has little to do with a propensity to be dangerous. The AKC supports reasonable laws that define dangerous dogs by their deeds, not their breed. Just like people, dogs should be judged on their deeds, not on how they look. Education is the best way to spread this message.
Another example is over-zealous breeder regulations that are often proposed following media reports of the closure of substandard kennels. Here also, the basic problem is often misdiagnosed. The problem isn’t the breeding of dogs – it’s irresponsibility on the part of a small number of individuals. Responsible breeders are a part of the solution – they shouldn’t be slandered by these tragedies. Responsible breeders give loving care to their dogs and educate buyers about responsible ownership including proper exercise, nutrition, healthcare and training. The AKC supports reasonable laws that ensure the well-being of dogs and promote responsible breeding practices.
The AKC Public Education Department provides a wide variety of resources – from educational curricula for schools, to brochures for shelters and community organizations, to new exhibitor mentoring programs, to the many Responsible Dog Ownership Day events http://links.mkt2242.com/ctt?kn=13&m=2689403&r=MTUyMzYxMzgxOTQS1&b=2&j=NzY2OTQ3OTIS1&mt=1&rt=0 that take places this month throughout the country. These educational programs benefit your community and our dogs, and also help you build a strong relationship with community leadership. They are also an excellent opportunity to provide influence should unreasonable dog laws ever be considered.
I invite you to visit the AKC’s Public Education web pages http://links.mkt2242.com/ctt?kn=24&m=2689403&r=MTUyMzYxMzgxOTQS1&b=2&j=NzY2OTQ3OTIS1&mt=1&rt=0 to learn more about the AKC’s broad range of educational programs and materials.
Remember, the best way to fight bad dog laws is to prevent them – and we can do that through education and a commitment to responsible dog ownership!
All the best,
Sheila Goffe Director of Government Relations
From our Nation’s Capitol Congress returns from summer recess on September 8, and will soon be considering a number of issues http://links.mkt2242.com/ctt?kn=27&m=2689403&r=MTUyMzYxMzgxOTQS1&b=2&j=NzY2OTQ3OTIS1&mt=1&rt=0 of interest to dog owners.