President and AKC Delegate Messages

President's Message:

Our annual Genetic Health Testing Clinic was held on Sunday March 9, again hosted by the Central Animal Hospital in Leominster. A huge “Thank You” goes to our clinic organizers — Linda Shea, Kiko Chang and Terry Sadler for all their hard work taking and scheduling reservations to make everything run on time for the participants. Thanks also to club members Donna Kiuru, Sheila Bennett, Stacey Gavin and Patti and David Brogan, and the Tufts Vet School students who helped keep everything running smoothly.

The big news is we will be holding our August shows at a new site — returning to Fitchburg where we held shows at the old Royal Plaza Trade center for 20 years. We will be at GameOn Fitchburg, a new, large indoor sports venue just north of route 2 at the same exit for the Royal Plaza. I hope you will all contribute to our trophy fund as you so generously have in the past.

Please mark your calendars for Sunday afternoon June 22 for our third weekend members‘ meeting given the great success of our first one in June, 2021. We’re planning to return to the Bamboo Restaurant in Westford for their great Chinese buffet. We will discuss plans for our August shows, October Scent Work trial, and November agility trials at that meeting.

Enjoy Spring -- I’ll see you at our upcoming events.

John W. Seeley



AKC Delegate Message:

New York, NY – At the annual meeting of the American Kennel Club on March 11, 2025, the Delegates elected members to the AKC Board of Directors. The Directors elected were:

Class of 2029 - Eduardo T. Fugiwara, Delegate, Two Cities Kennel Club
- Robin Stansell, Delegate, French Bull Dog Club of America
- Sylvia A. Thomas, Delegate, Kennel Club of Riverside
- Dr. Thomas M. Davies, Delegate, Springfield Kennel Club, Inc.

In addition, Dr. Thomas M. Davies (Springfield Kennel Club, Inc.) was re-elected as the Chairman of the Board and Dr. Michael Knight, PhD (Texas Kennel Club) was elected as Vice Chairman of the Board at a meeting of the AKC Board of Directors, convened after the Delegates Meeting. Two of the winners - Thomas and Davies - were nominating committee candidates, Stansell and Fugiwara were petition candidates. Davies was the last nominee selected.

This proposed change was not approved:

  CHAPTER 11 - SECTION 8-A.
Any dog that in the opinion of the judge determines menaces or threatens or exhibits any sign that it may not be safely approached by the judge or examined by the judge in the normal manner shall be excused from the ring. When the judge excuses the dog, he/she shall mark the dog “Excused,” stating the reason in the judge’s book. A dog so excused shall not be counted as having competed. A dog recorded as “Excused for threatening or menacing” by a judge on three occasions shall be administratively disqualified by the The American Kennel Club. Any dog that in the opinion of the judge attacks any person in the ring shall be disqualified. When the judge disqualifies the dog, he/she shall mark the dog “Disqualified,” stating the reason in the judge’s book.

When a dog has been disqualified under this Section, any awards at that show shall be canceled by The American Kennel Club, and the dog may not again compete unless and until, following application by the owner to The American Kennel Club, the owner has received official notification from The American Kennel Club that the dog’s show eligibility has been reinstated.

This proposed change was approved:

  CHAPTER 11 - SECTION 8.
A dog which is blind, deaf, castrated, spayed, or which has been changed in appearance by artificial means except as specified in the standard for its breed, or a male which does not have two normal testicles normally located in the scrotum, may not compete at any show and will be disqualified except that a castrated male may be entered as Stud Dog in the Stud Dog Class and a spayed bitch may be entered as Brood Bitch in the Brood Bitch Class. A dog will not be considered to have been changed by artificial means because of removal of dewclaws or docking of tail if it is of a breed in which such removal or docking is a regularly approved practice which is not contrary to the standard.

Neutered dogs and spayed bitches would be allowed to compete in Brace, Team, Veterans, and all other single entry non-regular classes only at independent specialties and/or those all-breed shows which do not offer any competitive classes beyond Best of Breed.

March 31, 2025 will be Dennis Sprung’s last day as President/CEO.  He will be succeeded by Gina DiNardo. Sheila Goff is replacing Gina DiNardo as Executive Secretary and will continue as head of AKCGR.

At a February 2025 Board meeting held in executive session it was subsequently reported that following a motion by Dr. Davies, seconded by Mr. Carota, it was unanimously VOTED to postpone implementation of the event service fee adjustment while the Board of Directors and Staff reevaluate the financial implications across all events. I think the Board of Directors have heard from the Delegates and the fancy that the event service fee adjustment of $1.50 was EXTREMELY unpopular and more transparency from the Board is needed. The Board was no doubt inspired by the fact that registrations were down 14% in 2023 and 15% in 2024 and associated revenue declines in operating income etc.

Respectfully submitted,
Virginia Rowland, AKC Delegate




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