Beauty, Brains, and Birdsense

GORDON SETTER CLUB

Breeders' List (New 2011)

Health & Genetics
To donate to the
Canine Health Foundation, Gordon Setter
Donor Advised Fund,
use this form.

GSCA Updates, January 2012

GSCA 2006-2010 Review Advertising Information - Deadline Extended!

The GSCA 2006-2010 Review needs you!! Editors Dianne Avery and Beni Levi are hard at work on the next GSCA Review. The first deadline is fast approaching so start thinking now about that special Gordon that you would like to showcase in this next review. December 15, 2011 is the first deadline to get the best rate on an ad for this quality publication. You can find out more about this upcoming deadline here.

Make Plans for the 2012 GSCA National Specialty
Warwick, Rhode Island
May 6-May 10, 2012

Tartan Gordon Setter Club, Inc. will be hosting the 2012 GSCA National in Warwick
Rhode Island Sunday, May 6, 2012 through Wednesday, May 9, 2012 followed by
a Hunt Test on Thursday, May 10, 2012.

For more information, please check the 2012 GSCA National Specialty Website.

Health & Genetics Information - Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) Testing

PRA (progressive retinal atrophy) testing is now available through the Animal Health Trust in the UK. The link to order is at the bottom of the AHT PRA info page. (PLEASE NOTE: The required web browser is IE 8.0. If you use IE 7.0 or less you will be directed to send in a blood draw and that is not the case. This test is a cheek swab.)

This is a simple cheek swab test that can be completed and submitted by the owner (in the UK, swabbing must be done by a veterinarian and results will be automatically published by the Kennel Club). For GSCA members in the US, confidential results will be sent directly to the owner by the AHT. (Kristi Boehm, Health & Genetics, Chair)

2011 GSCA National Championships and Field Trial

November 8 –13, 2011

The GSCA National Field Trial Committee 2011 is headed by Cindy Findley(IA). The committee is hard at work on this year's version of the 2011 NFT. Mark your calendars now for this premier fall event! For more information, please visit the 2011 NCFT Website.

Who isn’t against animal cruelty? Be a Bird Dog Watchdog!

There’s an alarming increase in the number of municipal and state laws governing owning, breeding and hunting with dogs. Sometimes these laws are reasonable. Sometimes only parts of these laws are reasonable. And, sometimes the entire law is just a bad idea. There are so many of these laws cropping up across the country that I’m asking every member of the GSCA to be a watchdog and “bird dog” me to anything that crops up where you live.

I’m not asking you to evaluate if the law is good or bad. I’m not asking you to get involved. I’m simply asking you to please let me know of any law or ordinance proposed where you live that involves dogs or hunting.

Is your town planning a dog park?
Is your town or state considering limiting the number of dogs you may own?
Is your town or state seeking legislation related to dog fighting or “puppy mills”?
Is your town or state seeking to limit or restrict hunting?

Whether it’s a good law or a bad law, please be a Bird Dog Watchdog and let me know! The next time you’re watching your local television news, reading your local paper, or surfing the internet and come across anything related to any proposal by your local government that involves dogs or hunting, please send me an email, give me a call, or contact me on Facebook.

Be a Bird Dog Watchdog. It’s the right thing to do!
Thank you,
Jay Kitchener, GSCA Legislative Liaison