BCOA Bulletin January-February-March 2007 - the Basenji Club of ...

Native Stock Committee Report
THE BASENJI CLUB OF AMERICA
NATIVE STOCK COMMITTEE has
just begun communicating with the
American Kennel Club about re-opening
the Stud Book to new basenji foundation
stock. The letter sent to AKC also appears in this
issue of The Bulletin.
The AKC has very specifi c procedures in place
for opening the Stud Book. The request must come
from the Parent Club (BCOA), and two thirds of the
membership must vote in favor of opening the Stud
Book before the application is made.
If we receive a positive response to our fi rst letter, a membership
vote will be taken as the next step in the procedure.
Should two thirds of the voting membership vote in favor of
opening the Stud Book, the submission to the BCOA Board of
native dogs to be considered for registration will proceed. Each
dog to be considered for admission to the Stud Book must be
sponsored by two BCOA members who:
(1) are not the owners/importers
(2) who feel the dog has merit and is worthy of registration.
about the African Stock Project is available online at the Club
website.
We will have regular updates in The Bulletin to keep you
up to speed.
Please feel free to contact any of us on the committee
with your questions.
Pamela A. Geoffroy
Chair, BCOA Native Stock Committee
AKC Board of Directors
The American Kennel Club
51 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10010
Committee Members:
Lisa Voss
Andrew Sawler
Linda Siekert
Michael Work
Dr. Jo Thompson
Pamela Geoffroy
197 Mt. Hope Street
No. Attleboro, Ma 02760
1-508-695-6573
Additionally, the dog must also be sponsored by a BCOA
Board member who is not the owner/importer. The BCOA Board
will then consider each dog, examining photos, videos, and health
I am writing this letter on behalf of the Basenji Club of America to ask that the AKC
Stud Book be reopened for native bred Basenjis for a period of two to three years to
allow trips to the Southern Sudan and other remote parts of Africa to search for native
stock.
information. Board members who own/imported a submitted dog
will abstain from voting on that dog. The names of the approved
dogs will then be sent to AKC for registration.
The original Stud Book opened in 1944 and included just two native dogs and some
dozen or so English dogs. This very small gene pool was further diminished when
several dogs turned out to be unusable for various reasons. This limited gene pool
The original AKC Studbook for basenjis opened in 1944 and
included just two native dogs and some dozen or so English-bred
has made it diffi cult for conscientious breeders to avoid the various health disorders,
which have become prevalent since the breed’s introduction to the western world.
dogs. This limited gene pool was further diminished when several As a response to this problem, American breeders visited Africa in 1987 and 1988
of these dogs turned out to be unusable for various reasons.
It has been approximately twenty years since two groups of
American basenji breeders visited the Congo in search of native
and returned with 14 native basenjis. In 1990 the AKC opened the Stud Book to these
imports. These dogs have had a positive impact on the breed in this country, and, it
should be noted, none has been diagnosed with any of the Basenji specifi c health
disorders we are seeking to eradicate; Fanconi Syndrome, PRA or IPSID. None of
stock. Thirteen of the dogs they found were admitted to the Stud
Book in 1990, along with Esenjo, an earlier import.
Basenji breeders face the ongoing challenge of addressing
these imports has produced these problems in their offspring, even when bred to
American lines known to produce these problems. Further, the direct descendants of
these imports have also failed to produce Fanconi Syndrome, PRA or IPSID.
serious health issues in a breed with a small gene pool. Geneticists
recommend at least fi fty original founders, including previous
imports, which are well represented in the gene pool. We are still a
All native stock brought back from Africa will be examined by a BCOA Board member
and two long time breeders to determine that they display Basenji breed type and
that their inclusion in the gene pool would promote quality as set forth in the AKC
Standard for the breed.
long way short of that number of world-wide founders. Additional
foundation stock would give the unique genotype of the basenji
its best shot at long term viability. The importation of new African
When the BCOA put this issue to vote when the Stud Book was last opened 75% of
the membership voted in favor of the proposal.
stock is meant to widen the gene pool. These dogs will be health
tested and their progeny will be followed with interest.
None of the 1987 and 1988 African imports were diagnosed
Our Club and our breed are in a unique position. We have access to Basenjis living
in their native land, as they have for centuries, still working with hunters using only
spears and nets and their extraordinary dogs. That these dogs continue to thrive,
living in a part of the world suffering the devastating effects of poverty and war speaks
with Fanconi syndrome, IPSID or PRA. None of these dogs
have produced these defects in their offspring, even when bred
to their vigor and health as well as their great character. These dogs represent a living
history of our ancient breed. We cannot afford to lose them.
to American lines known to produce these problems. The Thank you for considering our request.
descendants, with pedigrees of strictly these foundation animals,
have likewise failed to produce Fanconi syndrome or PRA.
Visit the Basenji Club of America website at www.basenji.org
or the Basenji Health Endowment site, www.basenjihealth.org for
information about health issues in our breed. Further information
Pamela A. Geoffroy
Chair
BCOA Native Stock Committee
The Basenji Club of America, Inc. BULLETIN - 20