MESSAGE FROM THE ARC PRESIDENT

Dear ARC Members,

Another week and summer is definitely here. It has been over 100 here in Texas all week and no rain in the last five weeks. Send some of that Northeast rain this way!

While the Board and standing Committees are going about the usual club business items, you will see a few new interesting things Audrey has put on the web. One deals with some changes and consideration by AKC regarding Obedience. Take a look and read what is going on in this regard.

After a new ARC Secretary is elected every two years, the ARC standing committee Chairs are asked if they wish to keep the position. As of July 1st, it is that time again. If you are a Chair for an ARC committee (listed on the web and in the ARK) please contact myself or the Board, if you have not already heard from us, to let us know of your desire to stay on or "pass the torch ". The Board does not just arbitrarily replace Chairs; we only replace those who no longer wish to head a committee, or are unable or unwilling to meet their responsibilities. The club owes a great deal of thanks to these members as the standing committees are where the nuts and bolts of club work and proposals for new programs are created. If you wish to volunteer for a Chair, or to serve on any standing committee that interests you, give me a call.

Speaking of calls, I did not realize when I started giving out my cell number that so many members would call (713-557-0807). While calls take time, they are the best way to communicate in my case . . . I really do not type! I have enjoyed getting several calls over the last several days, from new and "old" members alike. Each and every idea, complaint or suggestion I get goes to the Board for discussion and action, if appropriate. Emails are great too. Tell the Board of any ideas you have for the club, new "anti-canine" proposals you see locally or statewide, or anything else you just want to talk about. However, we do ask one favor or you when writing or emailing. Please let us know if you want your letter, along with our response, published in the ARK and on the web. It is a little confusing to us sometimes as to the writer’s intent in this regards. And if you don’t want the letter published, we can still discuss your ideas/suggestions with the membership without the other members knowing that it was proposed by a "shy" member.

The latest ARK is on the way. Please take time to read it, not only the great wins and accomplishments of our dogs, but the club business, motions and announcements as well. The ARK is only the way many members know what the club is doing.

Hopefully you have all had a chance to read at least the main body of the ARC's response to the AVMA on cropping and docking. If not, the cover letter and the ARC Position Paper are here on the website and both, along with the 200 pages of back-up documentation, are also included on www.paws4laws.com. It is a great read! And it appears the DPCA is about to write an official adoption of our paper. The support of our "black and tan" brethren is most welcome. They have always been at the forefront, along with the ARC, in protecting our wonderful dogs. I hope to have that letter from them for positing on the web next week.

Along those same lines, in case you have not heard, the New York dock ban bill is dead! Thanks to those members and all fanciers in New York and elsewhere that stopped this from even getting rolling. Please visit the paws4laws site on a regular basis to find out the latest on new legislation or the status on others. Barbara Haywood, our Legislative Committee Chair, updates the site regularly. If you have any breaking news that you feel needs attention by the club to protect our dogs and our rights of responsible ownership, call or email me, or someone else on the Board, and we will make sure Barbara gets the information.

Stay in touch,

Jeff Shaver

Jeff Shaver
ARC President