I
t seems that everyone is taking the AKC to task for allowing registrations to dwindle in recent years but hardly anyone offers solid suggestions on how to go about increasing those numbers. With everyone preaching doom and gloom for the future of the sport and complaining about term limits, the good deeds performed by the sitting board and current administration often get overlooked. Despite the steep decline in registrations, under the leadership of Ronald Menaker, Chairman of the Board (as well as previous Chairman David Merriam), President and CEO Dennis Sprung, and wise financial and investment counsel of others, the AKC has amassed not one but two reserve funds. The first, the operating reserve, was reportedly recommended by auditors Ernst & Young over 10 years ago. This fund’s goal, which took years to meet, was to establish a reserve balance of 50% of the AKC’s annual operating budget. The second fund, an endowment reserve, was approved by the AKC’s Board of Directors in 2005. According to the Board minutes of the meeting in which this reserve was approved, the intent of this fund was to “provide for the enhanced financial stability of the organization. It would be structured so that the fund’s investment returns are available to meet AKC’s operating expenses, while the principal is reserved for designated purposes and to meet unforeseen contingencies.” Estimates put the value of these funds between $50 million and $100 million, which is far outperforming any fund this side of Madoff’s. One would venture to guess that those crying about the mismanagement, shortsightedness and poor decisions of this current administration and board certainly wouldn’t mind having these same individuals managing their 401K plans or diversifying their portfolios. The fact that the AKC has been able to grow such funds in these troubled economic times and despite the decrease in registration revenue speaks volumes about the competency of those calling the shots. Indeed, the AKC is doing very well on many fronts, though, like any large corporation in these ever-changing times, there is room for improvement. But many of the recent endeavors undertaken by this often bold and innovative administration have gone overlooked while naysayers dwell on the obvious negative aspects and the dead horse that is declining registrations. Take for instance the AKC Humane Fund, a non-profit charitable organization that was established in 2008. Its goal was to promote the joys and goals of responsible pet ownership through education, outreach and grant-making. The AKC Humane Fund awards grants to parent clubs and their affiliated rescue
organizations that provide for the wellbeing of dogs, and recently announced it would be providing grants to women’s shelters that accept victims of domestic violence and their pets. The idea for this came about when research suggested that many battered women fail to leave abusive relationships because they’re afraid of abandoning their pets and subjecting them to possible danger or violence. This is a virtuous cause, and, one could argue, one that falls outside the realm of a purebred dog registry. But for the victims and their pets, the AKC Humane Fund may be saving lives. It doesn’t require that these victims be members of the dog fancy, or that their pets be AKC registered dogs, or dogs at all. It simply provides a safe haven for those who are in desperate need. Shelters can apply for a grant by filling out an application at akchumanefund.org. The AKC Humane Fund has also established a “Mean Seeds” sub-fund, which was established to conduct a systematic assessment of cases of grass awn disease in dogs over the past 20 years. Sporting dog owners and field trialers across the country noticed that their dogs were becoming ill from seeds that were ingested or absorbed through their skin. Known as grass awn migration disease, it occurs when the dry seed pods of an invasive type of weed, grass awn —also known as cheat grass, June Grass, or foxtail— enter the soft tissues of an animal. These pods have one-way microscopic barbs that move continuously forward through the tissue, leaving a tract of infection behind. Though the disease has been well documented in scientific and sporting dog literature, no systemic assessments have been conducted to date to quantify its prevalence. Partnering with the Department of Agriculture, the AKC Humane Fund is leading the charge to determine if further research and study is justified. Reports of Hurricane Iris and other tropical storms battering the islands of Bermuda and Haiti this week reminds one of the efforts made by the AKC’s Companion Animal Recovery Support and Relief Fund, which was established in 2002 and has since donated $3 million in relief funds. While the events of 9/11 may have been the impetus for such a fund (as they were for the creation of NYDOG), in the ensuing years, the AKC CAR fund has been instrumental in helping communities cope with disasters such as wildfires, tornadoes, hurricanes, oil spills and floods. The AKC CAR fund has delivered vital aid, including airlifts for displaced dogs. Its swift actions have served as models for local and state governments and have helped many communities and clubs shift their focus
OFF LEASH by Shaun Coen
THE
56 Dog News
to disaster preparedness so they will be better equipped to handle relief efforts should catastrophe strike again. Just to touch on some of the deeds performed by the AKC CAR this year alone, in February, it donated $25,000 in honor of New York-based Search and Rescue dogs in Haiti. In May, when days of torrential downpours caused the Cumberland River to swell and mass flooding in the streets of Nashville, Tennessee, the AKC CAR sent aid. Delaware’s Kent County’s SPCA received $35,000 from the AKC CAR fund, as did the Vermont Disaster Animal Response Team, so both organizations could acquire CAMET (companion animal mobile equipment trailer) units. As of mid-July this year alone, the AKC CAR had donated nearly $400,000 to various relief efforts, with more than $215,000 in grants earmarked to search-andrescue organizations for equipment and preparedness training. To date, the AKC CAR has enrolled over four million pets and has helped reunite countless lost pets and their owners. The public only hears about the sensational cases – the dogs and owners reunited after six and seven years – but the AKC CAR just last week donated 2,000 microchips and 40 microchip scanners to the North Carolina State Animal Response Team – a value of over $32,800. It has also delivered scanners to shelters and veterinary practices around the country. The AKC and the AKC CAR have proven to be effective and proactive organizations that communities, municipalities and governments can benefit and learn from. Disaster preparedness is as important as response and identifying and microchipping dogs and outfitting shelters with universal scanners saves lives.
N
ot to be outdone, the AKC’s Canine Health Foundation has recently made some major announcements as well. Earlier this month it announced that it had formed an exclusive partnership with Pfizer Animal Health to prevent, treat and cure canine disease. To that end, Pfizer has pledged an initial investment of $500,000 over two years to focus on both basic and applied research initiatives. Now comes word this week that the Purina Parent Club Partnership has released $500,000 to sponsor research studies in 2010. In addition, the AKC also announced this month that it awarded over $45,000 in college scholarships to veterinary students, ensuring that our dogs and other pets will receive the care they deserve not only today, but well into the future. Other recent moves include the launching of the AKC/Eukanuba National Invitational, which brought heightened, international attention to purebred dog shows; the introduction of the Grand Champion title and the Breeder of Merit distinction; and the attempt to broaden the AKC family and boost entries by allowing mixed-breed dogs to enter companion events. Many deserve credit for the success of the AKC’s above-mentioned ventures of recent years. Not all of these moves have been popular with all members of the fancy, however, nor was the decision to uphold term limits. Whoever fills those seats in the future will inherit quite a legacy, including those large reserve funds, well-heeled connections, a host of good will and positive publicity. Now, if only something could be done about those dwindling registrations. •