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

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attendees, and then more general and specialized sessions. AKC
CAR offered an excellent overview of their new microchip and
explained the strategy being used in disaster response efforts.
They encouraged clubs to offer microchip clinics, and those that
do will receive the incentive of low-cost chips.
How does a club operate democratically? “The Governance
of Parent Clubs” offered valuable information on this topic. First,
and foremost, each club’s bylaws are the first line of defense when
conflicts pop up. Mike Liosis, AKC Director of Club Relations,
stressed the importance of clubs adhering to their bylaws when
managing their affairs. As with our own club just recently, when
bylaws are being revised, the AKC Club Relations department is
the first stop before submitting a ballot to the membership.
The last session I attended was exciting because the BCOA
recently purchased the template for this program. Dr. Claudia
Orlandi presented the current status of the University of Canine
Education (UCE). She offered methods for parent clubs on how
to develop and/or enhance their breed education programs. Dr.
Orlandi explained the complete series of the Basset Hound
University program and how other clubs can use that model as a
template for their own University program. Envision the Basenji
University. It’s coming to basenji fanciers everywhere.
by Karla Schreiber
While Wanda attended the Saturday
session on National Specialties, I attended
the Breed Standards session chaired by
Mari-Beth O’Neill, AKC Assistant Vice
President of Customer Service. This
session reviewed AKC’s requirements for
maintaining and modifying breed standards,
and explored the ever-present question of how parent clubs
determine the need for standard changes without compromising
their breeds’ basic function and form. We had a lively discussion
regarding these topics, including “tales from the front line” by
several parent club officers whose clubs recently went through
the Standards revision process. The session was followed by a
question and answer period, during which I took the liberty of once
again asking Ms. O’Neill, on behalf of BCOA, whether, in her
opinion, BCOA should consider a standard revision to expressly
include brindle pointed tri-colors. Ms. O’Neill responded exactly
as she did when asked this question by then-BCOA President
Midge Greenlee several years ago: No such change is necessary
given the facts that a) our Standard has no disqualifications for
color or pattern, and b) both tri-color and brindle are standard
colors already. Ms. O’Neill, likewise again, expressed the opinion
that if the fancy believes brindle pointed tri-colors are not viewed
favorably by judges, the answer to that problem is better judge’s
education, and not a standard revision.
My second Saturday session was the Health Seminar. The
primary presenter (and a very entertaining and knowledgeable one!)
was Thomas Graves, DVM, Ph.D., of the University of Illinois -
- who spoke to us regarding the topic “Canine Hypothyroidism:
Fact or Fiction.” Dr. Graves’ presentation examined the medical
evidence behind many commonly held beliefs about hypothyroidism
in purebred dogs, and concluded that hypothyroidism is being
over-diagnosed. Dr. Graves urged breeders not to rush to thyroid
The Basenji Club of America, Inc. BULLETIN - 24
The AKC Parent Club Conference is a “shot-in-the-arm” as it
seems to arrive at a point when it’s needed most. This is a very well
prepared conference. It goes without saying that the sessions offer
beneficial information and organized materials for everyone. The
Parent Club Committee should be applauded for their hard work in
putting together this event. More importantly, much informationgathering
occurred outside the sessions. The break-out meetings,
the clusters of people joined in sharing ideas, conversations across
the dinner table, and even chats while waiting for the elevator
yielded a fountain of knowledge.
When I became involved in the world of dogs, I thought the
AKC and its board members were an austere, unreachable group.
Not so, I discovered! These are people no different than you or
I, and they all have the same concerns and love for the canine
world. They give as much time and dedication as we do, and they
come from the same types of backgrounds. The chief operating
officer of AKC is just as friendly and approachable as those I meet
everyday at shows and functions. The AKC Board members who
attended this conference never held themselves apart from the
attendees. We are all working together for a common interest, and
it has never been more apparent than at the 2007 AKC Parent Club
supplementation when no confirmed, primary clinical signs of the
disease are present (i.e. a diagnosis based strictly on thyroid “test
numbers” alone), and cautioned that what we do not know about
the practice of providing thyroid supplementation to otherwise
healthy animals may come back to haunt us when more research
has been conducted in this area. Other presenters at the Health
Seminar included Erika Werne of the Canine Health Foundation
– filling us in on CHF’s grant making process, and Eddie Dzuik of
OFA, updating us about CHIC (Canine Health Information Center)
and its DNA repository.
Last. but not least, on Sunday afternoon I attended the
session on Financial and Tax Aspects and Issues for Parent Clubs,
hosted by attorney and former IRS agent Edmund Sledzik. I was
pleased to find myself in the company of several other parent club
attorneys, and as always, there were far more issues to discuss than
could possibly be covered in the 1.5 hour time frame. However,
we managed, with Ed’s able assistance, to review financial record
keeping procedures for parent clubs, how to deal with IRS audit
situations, choices of entity issues, lobbying by parent clubs and
charitable subsidiaries, and the special challenges facing those
organizations that operate federally tax exempt public charities
like the Basenji Health Endowment. I wish this session could have
lasted another hour or two!
Like Wanda, I traveled home feeling like I suffered from
profound information overload. On the plus side, there is so much
that BCOA is doing right – we are way ahead of the curve in many
areas of club governance. That being said, there are some areas in
which we can definitely improve. After having a chance to review
some of the beautiful and informative illustrated breed standards
put together by other parent clubs, this is one area where I hope
we can challenge ourselves - to create an illustrated standard truly
worthy of our beautiful, natural dogs. Likewise, seeing what
other clubs provide in terms of the judge’s education process and
accompanying materials made me think long and hard about of
how BCOA can step up to the plate in this area as well.