Setting Fire To Community Outreach

BY DEBRA VEY VODA-HAMILTON, ESQ.

Recently, it seems that whenever a report on the sport of purebred dogs appears in the news it is often negative. A post on the Warwick Watch Facebook page showed a good samaritan reporting and filming the rescue of several fully groomed show dogs which were being taken out of their dog show van by the police. The van, with dogs inside, was left outside a mall in Warwick, Rhode Island. It was a hot day and the windows of the van were closed. The resulting negative post on Warwick Watch can be seen here: https://m.facebook.com/WarwickWatch.

Hot cars are the nemeses of dog show exhibitors as they travel from show to show. The interaction we have with the public during the summer show schedule can get confrontational. We always try to be careful, yet dogs are lost every year.

One recent community interaction, between dog show exhibitors and the pet loving public, lead to a life saving event. In May, the Irish Setter Club of America held it 2017 National Specialty in War- wick, Rhode Island. Red dogs from all over the country descended on the beautiful hamlet of Warwick and the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Prior to arriving for the week at this accommodating facility, the ISCA Board of Directors started looking into a meaningful way to reach out to the community they were visiting. Devouring local lobster was great but how could this purebred dog group interact positively with the neighborhood pet owner in Warwick?

Board member Mary Goeke suggested donating pet oxygen masks to the fire departments surrounding the site of the National. As the ISCA inquired into the purchase of pet oxygen masks, they discovered after talking to Scott Goeke, a firefighter in Kansas, that to make this donation truly valuable and completely useful on a fire truck the masks and all the necessary equipment to make them work needed to be in a carrying case. Thus, the exploration shifted toward finding a pet oxygen kit.

After discussion, the ISCA board unanimously approved inquir- ing into and then funding the purchase of pet oxygen kits for the 2017 National. A supplier was found and the ISCA approved the purchase of six pet oxygen kits in their own marked bags. In the future, it is the intention of the ISCA to distribute these pet oxygen kits wherever the National is held.

Before Breed judging, the ISCA held a ceremony during which the six life-saving pet oxygen kits were donated to the Warwick Fire Department. These kits contained three masks to accommo- date dogs, cats and birds. The ISCA invited the mayor of Warwick as well as local newspapers and television stations to the event. The ISCA’s intent was to show purebred dog clubs giving back to the community in which they were showing. They hoped to pro- mote purebred dogs and AKC events within which pet owners could participate. The news coverage provided exposure for ISCA to Warwick and made the area aware of this donation and how it would help all beloved animals.

Short URL: http://caninechronicle.com/?p=130188

Posted by Alex on Aug 22 2017. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.