Partners Among Cats and Canines (PACC) – Now Recognized by NCA
If you created a canine registry, what would it be like? If you could create a registry that you knew would forever influence the relationship of people and dogs worldwide, what would be your priorities? What would be your unwritten messages? Would your registry, your rules, your shows and their structure be like registries you are already familiar with or would it be completely revolutionary? Would your shows attract and welcome everyone who'd ever loved a dog or not?
Fortunately, a few years ago, two men had the opportunity to consider such questions and their resulting effort is nothing short of revolutionary in a canine arena dominated by all things AKC.
As their vision matures, something completely unheard of will start taking place, animal welfare groups, rescues and even Humane Societies, will become member associations hosting Sanctioned National Canine Association events.
How can
this be? How can the pure breed fancy be of interest to animal welfare groups?
Because Animal welfare groups are quick to recognize the inherent publicity,
fundraising and educational benefits of NCA. Due to the understanding,
integrity and passion of Joe Gregory and Colonel Wallace Pede, the National
Canine Association embraces all things DOG. Utilizing their decades of
experience, NCA events celebrate the now-neutered BIS winner with the world
renowned professional handler as well as Mopsy, the neutered mix or purebred
rescue from the local shelter presented with the pride and insecurity that only
a complete novice can deliver.
Partners Among Cats and Canines (PACC) of Franklin, Virginia, is the first 501c3, incorporated animal welfare organization, to proudly request recognition by NCA. Their President, Michelle Westervelt sums it up,"NCA basically offers everything we feel a dog show should have always been. By welcoming fanciers with purebreds including those that are spayed/neutered, rescues and mixes, their dog shows are truly dog shows and not just dog shows for show dogs. Allowing entries day of show means we can enthusiastically welcome everyone who comes with their dog and the events will be low key and casual without the myriad of unwritten rules so prevalent at other venues."
PACC's Education and Awareness Chairperson, Georgia Conrad sees even more reasons to be excited. "The attraction of a Sanctioned Dog Show is great for a large percentage of the public. This means we have a new audience that may not have attended our events before, to offer our message to. Additionally, the inclusion of spayed and neutered dogs in the regular classes helps bring home, in no uncertain terms, that there are plenty of good reasons to show a dog other than just the ultimate goal of breeding it. That goal is clearly outdated and illserving to the interest of dogs as long as the euthanasia of healthy dogs is taking place in every city in every state in this country".
Efforts are underway to secure a venue for PACC's first NCA Sanctioned event, as an NCA member club, scheduled for Sept 10 and 11. Show Chairperson, Julie Hensley, acknowledges the challenges faced. "Many people who are deeply involved in rescue and animal welfare have never been to an all breed show. For them, this option will seem very foreign and the responsibilities in hosting such an event, daunting. It needn't be. The events are casual, the support staff at NCA very responsive and the enthusiasm of participants is great. It is clearly the best way to help build bridges between caring dog show enthusiasts, responsible breeders and folks involved in rescue and animal welfare that I've ever seen. And for those who's true priority is the best interest of the dogs, these relationships are crucial to achieving that goal."
In years to come, as every city and town has an animal welfare organization striving to be recognized as a member of the National Canine Association, this fledgling step will not seem so historic or dramatic, it will simply be obvious. Just as many people look at the Declaration of Independence as something that just needed to be done, rather than as the controversial and terrifying spector that it held at the time. Whenever the status quo is reconsidered, anxiety and controversy follows close behind. Even so, many of the challenges faced by the purebred fancy and animal welfare organizations are a result of their efforts opposing one another. It's evident that these issues are best addressed by people working together. Idyllically, NCA offers an arena for these friendships to be built as perhaps the greatest boon of all.
For
more information visit the National Canine Association
http://www.nationalcanine.com
In the next week or so, Partners Among Cats and Canines (a 501c3 animal welfare organization of Franklin, VA) will be presenting its application to the National Canine Association to be recognized as an all breed canine association for the purpose of hosting shows for the NCA.
This is not a departure from the tenets that established PACC but rather a recognition of the first steps needed to resolve the rift that has been allowed to divide dog fanciers of various interests. With the structure and recognition of NCA, PACC will be able to host shows that welcome not just "breeding quality" purebreds, but also spayed/neutered purebreds and spayed/neutered rescues and mixes! Something that actually deserves the monikor, Dog Show... a show for all dogs. The philosophy of NCA, in a view that could only be called essentially radical by the present day pure bred fancy, recognizes that there are a plethora of reasons to show a dog that would have nothing to do with breeding it. Additionally, radical, the shows are welcoming, friendly and casual with entries accepted the day of show!
Suddenly, dog shows do become something that every family could enjoy and participate in! Getting up that morning and taking Bopsy to the local park offers the family a chance to be involved instead of on the sidelines. The possibilities for fundraising, public relations and exposure for the show giving association virtually explode in comparison to what has been possible before as whole new audiences show up for dog shows that would not have come to the typical "Paws in the Park" events. New lines of communication can develop as rescues and fanciers rub shoulders and note that both love their dogs.
Perhaps, the problem of irresponsible dog ownership can now be addressed as it always should have been, with all dog fanciers pulling in the same direction! Wouldn't it be radical if this created a precedent that cat fanciers felt they would need to follow?
Julie D. Hensley
Director, Partner Relations
www.pacconline.org and the picture is courtesy of www.TobysNaturalPets.com (supports PACC and run by Georgia Conrad, Sec of PACC).
http://www.thedogplace.org/SHOWDOG/PAAC_Partners_press_Hensley.htm
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