Vol. 35, No. 1 January 2010 MARK YOUR CALENDAR INSIDE THIS ISSUE. Monthly Meeting

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1 Vol. 35, No. 1 January 2010 MARK YOUR CALENDAR Feb 11 Board Meeting Feb 13 Valentines Party with Sisters Feb 18 GPGRC General Meeting Mar 6 Awards Banquet Mar 31 Deadline for Membership Dues May 29, 30 GPGRC Spring Hunt Tests June 24, 25 GPGRC Specialty July 23, 24, 25 GPGRC Agility Trials Sep 4,5 GPGRC Fall Hunt Tests Nov Pheasant Social INSIDE THIS ISSUE Annual Pheasant Social Valentines Party with the Sisters 2010 GPGRC Membership Dues GRCA Hot Topics Stand Together Challenge for GRF Brags 2009 Titltes Earned and Awards Qualifiers Award Qualifiers Desserts for the February Meeting Provided by Peggy McGee Annie Loverosky Website: Julie Rihn (Web Manager) julierihn@zoominternet.net Board Meetings If you have any matters you would like the Board to consider, contact the President, Rochelle Latkanich, at Monthly Meeting The monthly meetings are held at the Sisters of Holy Family of Nazareth, 301 Bellevue Rd. Meeting begins at 7:30 P.M. Guests are Welcome! Directions from I-279: Take exit 12 toward US 19/Perrysville Ave. At Perrysville Avenue, turn left. Go approximately.8 mile and turn left onto Bellevue Road (Sunoco Station on corner). Go approximately.5 mile and turn right to stay on Bellevue Road. End at 301 Bellevue Road. GREATER Entrance to PITTSBURGH complex is one way. Sign will direct you to building. Yellow brick building behind large red brick building is the meeting place. There is an open parking lot or 2 deck parking garage available.

2 GOLDEN RETRIEVER CLUB (GPGRC) Member club of the Golden retriever Club of America, Inc. (GRCA) Licensed by the American Kennel Club for AKC shows and obedience, rally and agility trials and hunting tests General meeting is held the third Thursday of the month at 7:30 p.m. Membership applications are available from the Membership Chairperson. Attendance at two club functions (one being a general meeting) and endorsement of two club members is required before an application can be accepted. Dues are: Regular Membership (individual) - $20.00, a second adult an additional $ Associate Membership (individual) - $12.00, a second adult an additional $5.00. Junior Membership - $1.00. Completed applications and dues are to be submitted to the Membership Chairperson. Newsletter is sent to all members without charge. Subscription to non-members is $15.00 per year. Send checks made out to GPGRC directly to the editor. Litter advertisements are accepted from club members only and other advertising on a space available basis. (Fees are full page - $10; half page - $5; quarter page - $2.50.) Refer to puppy referral ( below) for required clearances. Puppy referral is a service provided to GPGRC members only. (1) Both sire and dam must be two years of age or older at the time of breeding; (2) copies of eye clearances within one year of breeding must be supplied; and (3) an OFA number for hips must be submitted. Also recommended are heart and elbow clearances. Acceptance and use of the information provided by GPGRC constitutes an acknowledgment that the user hereby releases and indemnifies the GPGRC and its officers, directors, members and agents from any and all liability and damages sustained by the user as a result of any information obtained from this organization. Activity cards should be filled out and sent to the Accomplishments Recorder for all conformation, obedience, tracking, agility, rally, field events or community service events before they can be reported in the newsletter. Golden Retriever Club of America (GRCA) All golden lovers are encouraged to join our parent club, GRCA. The Golden Retriever News is published by-monthly by the GRCA and contains educational articles, provides a forum for issues of interest to golden owners, highlights golden accomplishments and contains correspondent columns from the member clubs across the country. Contact the editor for more information.

3 BOARD MEETING Next Scheduled Board Meeting is Wednesday, 10, p.m. GPGRC Treasurer The Board of Directors has accepted Dave Bauman s resignation as the GPGRC Treasurer. Thank you, Dave, for your service. GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING George Taylor has graciously accepted this position and will assume the responsibilities immediately. Welcome aboard, George! Next Scheduled General Membership Meeting is Thursday, February 18, 2010 GOLDEN GAIT The club s awards guidelines has been under revision and will be presented to the general membership for discussion. If you have any interest in these guidelines, please make an effort to attend this meeting. Annual Pheasant Social.The Walls are definitely planning ahead. So you should do the same. The Annual Pheasant Social is one of the highlight events of the year for GPGRC. Mark your calendars now. Plan to come to the Walls farm and have a grand time with your dog. November 7, 2010 Valentines Party with the Sisters On Saturday, February13, 2010, the GPGRC membership will again host our annual Valentines Party with the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth. We have been so fortunate to have space at the convent to host our monthly meetings. This is just a small way for us to say thank you to the sisters. There will be no Golden Gait published for March Address Change Please note change of address for Marcy Niebala: Rufwtr2131@verizon.net CONGRATULATIONS!!! A New PAX Title First for GPGRC Gina Arch and Blue started off 2010 by earning the PAX title on January 9 at the Erie Kennel Club trial in Edinboro. To win this title, a team must get twenty Double Q' s in the Preferred Standard and Jumpers B level. Gina and Blue are the first in our club to earn this title. The party will be our third year and the sisters look forward to meeting everyone and seeing all the dogs. This is an event where all club members can participate. We will again have door prizes for the sisters. Annie Loverosky is seeking gifts which can be given. Anyone wishing to donate should contact Annie at or aloverosky@verizon.net 2010 GPGRC Membership Dues Everyone should have gotten their membership renewal letters in the mail. Don t forget, dues must be paid and received by the Membership Chair no later than March 31, Gina Arch and Blue (Seasons Blue Mountain Dreamer RAE, PAX,AXJ, FN, OFP, MXP3, MJP7, CGC, TDI)

4 GRCA Hot Topics Hot Topics 12/1/09 Dear GRCA Membership: Happy Holidays, and best wishes to all! NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2010 GRCA BOARD OF DIRECTORS ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED, and the Nominating Committee requests the involvement of the GRCA membership in recommending a slate of officers. As the GRCA embarks on a new decade, this is an exciting and important time with many critical issues being discussed - including the future of our National Specialty as well as issues involving the health of our Goldens and the role our organization plays in the Golden community. It is critical that candidates are nominated who can offer the club strong leadership, direction and enthusiasm to address the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. Identifying the best people to fill these positions requires everyone's help - local clubs as well as individual members. To accomplish this, notices are being sent to all clubs as well as Golden " " lists to notify our membership. To be considered, candidates must have been a member in good-standing for four consecutive years and must be willing to undertake the responsibilities of serving on the Board. Each person being considered should be self-motivated, responsible and committed to Golden Retrievers and to the GRCA, and should have outstanding teamwork and leadership abilities and skills. Prioritizing tasks, setting goals, communicating well, listening to others, and having a desire to improve the organization for the better are all important traits for board members. The positions that need to be filled in the 2010 election are: President Secretary Vice President - Eastern Region Vice President -Western Region One Director from each Region Job descriptions for any of the above positions may be obtained by contacting Leslie Blythe, Nominating Committee Chairman, at info@mariahgoldens.com. Please include your and mailing address. Please send your suggestions of candidates to one of the Nominating Committee members via regular mail no later than January 31, A resume of qualifications and a statement of consent to serve on the board are required. Your 2010 Nominating Committee looks forward to serving the GRCA as we consider candidates to move this organization into the future. Thank you! Leslie Blythe Chairman, 2010 Nominating Committee 2910 GRCA NOMINATING COMMITTEE WESTERN REGION Leslie Blythe, Chairman 950 Strand Rd. Evansville,WY info@mariahgoldens.com David Brown 3608 Lake Tahoe Arlington, TX tempogoldens@tx.rr.com

5 Jeanetta Gulden 4250 Alva Ct. Sacramento, CA ALTERNATE Judy Slayton-Bachofner 2181 Labarre Rd. Washougal,WA CENTRAL REGION Karen Arbuthnot 422 Summer Fair Ct. Lake St. Louis, MO Cheri Stager 692 Pine River Rd. Smiths Creek, MI Vickie Vincent 24820W. Trowbridge Rd. Millbury, OH Hot Topics 12/20/09 ALTERNATE Jane Rubisch N th St. Elk Mound,WI EASTERN REGION Chris Miele 238 SarahWells Trail Campbell Hall, NY Cindy Partridge Canova Dr. Manassas, VA Joy Viola 14 Glover St. Wayland, MA ALTERNATE Janine Fiorito 206 Bruce Meadow Rd. Simpsonville, SC Purina Parent Club Program Update: As of November 30, 2009, the Golden Retriever Club of America has 3617 members declared for the Purina Parent Club Partnership Program. From January 1, 2009 through November 30, 2009, 756 members have submitted weight circles resulting in a total of $15, accumulated thus far for the 2009 Program. Don't forget to send in your weight circles for receipt by December 31st! MEMBERSHIP DUES Not only are individual 2010 membership renewals due but also GRCA member club 2010 membership renewals are due. If you have not sent in your 2010 dues yet be sure and put that on your to do now list. Dues are due by January 1, If your club has had officer changes that GRCA may not be aware of and you (the Secretary) have not received the club's renewal form it may be uploaded from the GRCA web site. Club dues are also due by January 1, As always, please contact any Board Member with your thoughts or opinions on these or any issues of concern to you. The entire Board may be reached at GRCA_Board@yahoogroups.com

6 Hot Topics 1/10/10 Dues You are now past due if you have not renewed your membership. Please send in your 2010 membership dues today. Petition Update At the GRCA annual meeting on October 25, 2009, the President, Dianne Barnes, called for a discussion of the National Specialty Task Force report, as printed in the September/October GRNews. Since all members had not received the GRNews and been able to review all of the recommendations and consider the implications, she requested that this be a discussion only. After the discussion, a motion was made from the floor to hold all future GRCA National Specialties at the Purina Farm grounds outside of St. Louis, MO. The parliamentarian hired by GRCA for the meeting advised the motion should not be accepted and the motion was denied. A dialogue followed this motion and several members did point out advantages and disadvantages of this proposal. The aborted motion focused primarily on location and did not address many of the other issues necessary to conduct a successful National Specialty. The Message from the President in The September/October GRNews, the GRCA website, and other communications invited comments on the entire report to be sent to the GRCA Board of Directors (BOD). Many comments have been received and, to date, very few indicate support for this proposal. On October 27, 2009, the GRCA BOD received a petition calling for a special meeting to discuss locating all future GRCA National Specialties on the Purina Farms grounds. The GRCA by-laws include a section which permits holding special meetings if requested by 50 members in good standing. The petition the GRCA BOD received contained 105 signatures. Two GRCA BOD members independently reviewed each petition signature and compared their information. Many of the signatures were illegible. Some members wrote to the BOD and asked their signatures be removed. All legible signatures were checked with our current member database for membership status. Some legible signatures were not members and were discounted. The final analysis indicated only 48 valid member signatures and therefore this petition is denied. The BOD is still interested in member comments and suggestions regarding future National Specialties and invites all comments. Janet Peacock GRCA Secretary jepgr@aol.com GRCA YEARBOOK The GRCA has announced that it will no longer publish the GRCA Yearbook in CD format. The yearbook will be available on the GRCA website under the members only section.

7 GPGRC GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING AWARD PAPERWORK Below is a list of guidelines regarding submission of paperwork for the Annual Awards presented at the annual banquet by GPGRC each year. This list can also be found on the website in the Members Only section. This is not the requirements for the awards. It is simply a tool for submitting paperwork. The new eligibility requirements should be approved soon so please check the site in the next month or so for that information. I am starting from scratch and currently have no information on your dog or your past accomplishments. Please do not assume I do. The BRAGS section of the newsletter is updated monthly. It is your responsibility to check the listing to be sure that the information is accurate. Please contact me immediately if corrections need to be made. julierihn@zoominternet.net Award information will be submitted to the newsletter editor on the 15th of each month. Reports received after that date will not be published until the following newsletter. The Printable Awards Form is available for download on the website at Please make copies for your use if needed. If you are submitting several forms for one event, please fill out the first form completely. There is no need to rewrite information that is the same as the first form (ie, dog s name, event, date etc.). Staple paperwork for each dog/event together. Again, please make sure the first page is filled out completely. I am trying to make this as simple as possible for people showing often (you know who you are ;-) Please take the time to be organized in what you are mailing so I do not have to require each page be filled out completely. Once you have submitted the dog s registered name to me it will be in the records and there will be no need to fill out that line on future awards forms. Just the dog s call name will be needed. If you are sending the form via the postal service please call to make sure I received it. There also is an Online Awards Form on the website. You may use it as you would the downloaded form. If you require a copy for your records please use the File link to print. If you forget to print before you Submit the form, just click on the green Back link in the top left corner of your screen. This will take you back to your form for printing. If you have more than one award for an event, simply fill out the form and submit it. When you see the Thank You note you can click the green Back button on the top left corner of your screen. This will take you back to your filled out form. At this point you can make changes to reflect another award by changing necessary fields. Once you have made changes you can Submit the second form. This can be done as many times as you need for each accomplishment making it unnecessary to rewrite information. The writeable fields on the form expand as you type. Each time you hit Submit the form information shown is sent to me. Additionally, I will send you a confirmation . Please be sure to check with me if you have not received that within a few days. One accomplishment per form please. Lastly, please try to get your forms to me in a timely manner. The end of the year is very busy for everyone so the sooner the better. Do not hesitate to call or if you have questions. Julie Rihn 6181 Brown Road Butler, PA julierihn@zoominternet.net

8 Web Site Information I would like to review some of the features of the new website. The home page of our website contains several links and is found at Calendar Of Events Use this link to search for upcoming event information. Please be patient sometimes it takes a few seconds for the data to be retrieved. If anyone has a club event to add to the calendar please let me know. What We Do There are many articles on the site regarding the various activities in which our club members participate. I would like to have articles written by club members explaining the various sport they enjoy. Currently most of the articles are copied from the AKC website. If you would like to write an article please let me know. With each article you will see three small icons. The first is a PDF icon. This link allows you to view, print or save the article in PDF format. The second icon is a printer which allows you to print the article. The last is an envelope allowing you to the article to someone. Members Only This section of the web site is for members only. The first link in this section allows you to download award recognition forms. The club guidelines for receiving awards at the banquet are also there. Additionally there is a new online form which you may use to submit accomplishments. The second link gives you access to new and old Golden Gait Newsletters. Lastly you may access a list of members along with their addresses, addresses and phone numbers by choosing the Membership List link. Dogs 101 Video There is a nice video about the golden retriever breed that has a link on our home page. The woman speaking is a veterinarian who appears often on television. All other links are pretty simple. If when visiting the site you notice something that needs corrected or added please do not hesitate to let me know. We get many visits to the site and it needs to be accurate. Julie Rihn webmaster@gpgrc.org Message from the Nominating Committee The Nominating Committee will be getting together shortly to look for new blood to guide the Greater Pittsburgh Golden Retriever Club to bigger and better heights. We need and want people who will give of their time and talents to the Club. We all know how busy we are today but there is always time to give for the good of our beloved Golden Retrievers. Being busy is no excuse. We all have things to do in our lives and you all joined this Club to enjoy each others stories and talents. It isn t fair to the Club and to the people if you just come to the functions and enjoy them. There is a lot of work that goes into each Club function but it all starts with the President and Officers of the Club. When someone calls you to help, please don t turn them down and say you are too busy. If you want the Greater Pittsburgh Golden Retriever Club to grow please say YES when someone calls you to help. Thanks, PAT DEPP 2010 GPGRC Nominating Committee Chair

9 Pa. High Court: SPCA Not State Agency, Can Be Sued MARK SCOLFORO, Associated Press Writer HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) The Pennsylvania Supreme Court says the nonprofit group that enforces Pennsylvania's animal control laws doesn't qualify for immunity from lawsuits because of that work. The court upheld a Philadelphia jury's verdict that awarded a woman $155,000 from the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals after about a dozen dogs taken from her home were euthanized. The court ruled Tuesday that there's no reason to think the General Assembly intended to grant the SPCA status as a commonwealth agency, so it's not entitled to the defense of sovereign or governmental immunity. The dog owner, Laila Snead of Reading, says she's pleased with the decision but that money won't bring her dogs back. A phone message left late Tuesday for the SPCA's lawyer wasn't immediately returned. All eyes on Pennsylvania: dog owners'rights are attacked, defended January 8, 2010 The animal welfare community anxiously awaits the upcoming trial involving the Pennsylvania SPCA's (PSPCA) harassing actions against sportswoman, schoolteacher and environmentalist, Wendy Willard, who had 11 of her 23 dog hunting pack seized under the threat that they would all be taken if she didn't sign so-called surrender agreements. Ms. Willard is charged with animal cruelty after a PSPCA raid arising out of barking complaints and alleged violations of the Philadelphia Dog Limit Law. Thus, Pennsylvania, much like Kentucky earlier this year, highlights the power struggle between those who would use any means and go to any lengths to eliminate our ability to keep and own dogs and those who would preserve our rights. And in this evolving area of the law, a bad outcome in one state soon infects other states. When this tragic story broke months ago, NAIA members quickly rallied behind Ms. Willard and organized a legal defense fund to help prepare her for the fight ahead. The outpouring of support has been incredible, but we're at a critical point in the case and need to call on you once more as we approach the trial. This case holds the promise of bringing callous over-reaching under color of enforcement authority to a halt. The issues presented are crucial to all dog owners throughout the country if we are to protect our right to own and keep our dogs. In the first part of the case, the barking complaints were dismissed. Round 2 will begin next week when the animal cruelty charges that alleged a muddy kennel (in the midst of flooding rainstorms) and deprivation of necessary veterinary care (despite 18 years of treatment records by Willard's veterinarian) will be heard. Future litigation is likely after the successful defeat of the charges as Ms. Willard continues to seek justice against an organization that violates civil rights, threatens property and seizes our dear pets. A few important recent developments bode favorably for Willard, and the rights of pet owners: Significantly, the PA Supreme Court issued a decision in late December 2009 in the Snead case: after a 10-year battle in the courts, it held that the (PSPCA) is not a governmental agency and, therefore, is not immune to state civil suits - including punitive damages - for actions they take. This followed an earlier ruling in the same case that the PSPCA is not immune from federal civil rights claims, including the award of counsel fees. Also in December, PSPCA's Board Chair Harisse Yaron's decision to resign was closely timed to the decision of the District Attorney of Lancaster County to end all criminal charges sought by the PSPCA against kennel owners who the PSPCA, without consulting the District Attorney, had charged with animal

10 cruelty for alleged health problems in dogs found outside the Commonwealth. Among the many questions that PSPCA must be compelled to answer next week in the Willard trial are the following: * What authority does a humane society have to cite citizens for code violations at a time when its contract with a municipality to do so had expired? * How can a search warrant be issued on probable cause to believe that cruelty occurred when its sole claims are observations of feces being cleaned up, something the law requires that you do, and of feces odor, a necessary consequence of cleaning? * How can animals be seized for an alleged violation of a limit law that does not authorize seizure? * Why has the PSPCA refused to tell anyone where the hounds are or disclosed their current condition or permitted an examination of the dogs? * How can organizations like the PSPCA continue to flout our constitutional rights to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures? The right answers to these critical questions should give pause to overzealous animal protection agencies everywhere, and help put an end to the widespread abuse of power we are witnessing Please continue to support our efforts to bring justice for Ms. Willard and to protect all of us from future unconstitutional evisceration of our liberty. NAIA Trust Strengthening the human-animal bond and safeguarding the rights of responsible animal owners. Bullseye Are Your Legislators "Humane?" Wednesday, January 13, :52:08 AM By Greg R. Lawson, Director of Communications We all know that President Obama got a B minus from the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) but what about Congress? Sometimes it can seem pretty hard to keep track of all the votes legislators make, much less figuring out which are truly good or bad for sportsmen. Well thanks to HSUS itself, that guessing game has been made a whole lot simpler. The HSUS'lobbying arm, the Humane Society Legislative Fund, has just released their "2009 Humane Scorecard" which means now you can see how your Congressmen and Senators stack up on the HSUS "Humane" scale. One of the things we at the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance always want to drive home is the importance of grassroots activism and keeping your legislators honest. Nothing helps defeat anti-hunting efforts better than informed sportsmen who willing to keep the heat on their elected officials. By checking out this scorecard, you'll become informed and be ready to talk to your legislators. If your legislators earn high marks from the HSUS, you should write them a letter and tell them you don't support their efforts on behalf of a group that stands against America's outdoor traditions. If your legislators get bad marks from HSUS, you should write a letter and tell them thanks for not buckling under pressure from HSUS.

11 IRS AUDIT OF HSUS? - - HSUS JUST BLINKED!!! The Tax Fraud Office of the IRS in Fresno, CA has now received over 2,000 individually addressed letters from concerned citizens in at least 48 different states. Each letter asked the IRS to audit and investigate the alleged excessive and under-reported lobbying activities of the HSUS. Significantly, more than 1,100 of these letters were documented - - sent by certified mail. This has created a 2,000 pound GORILLA that cannot be ignored, and this GORILLA is asking the IRS to audit the HSUS! All letters mailed to date document that an irrefutable "NATIONAL OUTCRY" exists for the IRS to audit the HSUS. That is why I wish to express my profound appreciation for the letter-writing efforts of so many - - with special "THANKS" to those who incurred the extra expense and took the extra time to stand in long lines at the Post Office to send their letters by Certified Mail. "T-H-A-N-K Y-O-U!!!!!" So, how has the HSUS reacted to the "Letter-Writing Campaign?" Well, Mr. Michael Markarian (HSUS Chief Operating Officer - - second only to CEO Wayne Pacelle) has used the typical "SPIN" of the HSUS for "DAMAGE CONTROL," and purportedly stated: "We feel this is an anemic campaign, and they're barking up the wrong tree." By trivializing the "Letter-Writing Campaign," the HSUS just "BLINKED!" They "spoke out" because they could not ignore the "Campaign" with silence, or the spreading "WILDFIRE" of thousands of letters being sent to the IRS. This "WILDFIRE" has already unleashed over 2,000 "barking dogs" who are "barking" up the HSUS Tree. In short, the HSUS "response" is a sign of "concern" rather than "confidence!" A Second Wave of First Class Letters could further fan the flames of the "WILDFIRE" and increase the pressure on the IRS to expeditiously begin an audit and investigation of the alleged excessive and under-reported "Lobbying Activities" of the HSUS, such as the $450,000 "contribution" by the HSUS for the Ballot Initiative effort in Missouri. This "contribution" was posted on the Missouri Ethics Commission Website on January 6, $450,000 for "Lobbying Activities" rather than direct animal care! Yet another 450,000 reasons for the IRS to begin an audit of the HSUS! To begin the Second Wave of First Class Letters simply: 1. Write or type a note that says: "I respectfully ask the IRS to audit and investigate the alleged excessive and under-reported lobbying activities of the Humane Society of the U.S." 2. Put that note or letter in an envelope that is addressed to the "INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, FRESNO, CA " (No street address or your return address is needed.) 3. Put a $.44 stamp on the addressed envelope and drop it in the mail box. That's it! Nothing more!!! If 2,000+ letters to the IRS could make the HSUS "BLINK,"..... stop and think how fast the eyes of the HSUS would be "BLINKING" if a few thousand additional letters were sent to the IRS by even more "barking dogs" who wish to show their presence at the base of the HSUS Tree! "THIS DOG WILL HUNT!!!!" (Frank Losey) Field Training Seminar The Buckeye Retriever Club will offer a free seminar for beginner field training. The first session is handler only on April 4. You will be given instructions and expected to take these lessons and work with your dog. Then on April 17 and 18, you will individually be assessed on how you have progressed. Go to the Buckeye website to get all the details. buckeyeretrieverclub.com

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13 Dear AKC Club Officer, Delegate, or Judge: January 20, 2010 Our right to own and breed dogs is under attack. Throughout the country last year we experienced an unprecedented increase in legislation that infringes on the rights of responsible owners and breeders. Already, many similar bills have already been introduced for Some of the 2009 bills included: New York A.7218, which would have criminalized tail docking and make it a misdemeanor for anyone to exhibit a dog with a docked tail. The bill also allowed for any New York animal rights organization to directly sue violators of this law. Texas HB 4277 & Florida HB 451, as written, would have required that all dogs in the state be spayed or neutered, with very few exceptions. Montana HB 191 & Hawaii SB 79 would have banned the ownership of pit bulls, including American Staffordshire Terriers and Staffordshire Bull Terriers. 26 different states introduced legislation that sought to regulate dog breeding. Many of these bills followed a formula that included caps on animal ownership, allowed for unreasonable inspections and seizures, and arbitrary care and kennel engineering standards. Fortunately, few of these provisions became law, but the consistency and similarity of these measures seen in state after state, demonstrates the effect of a national agenda determined to take away our rights to own and breed dogs in a manner consistent with our expertise. The need for a united, resolute dog fancy committed to protecting our dogs and our rights has never been greater. This election year, through contributions to the AKC Political Action Committee (AKC PAC), we have the opportunity to support lawmakers and candidates who will fight for our right to own, breed, and exhibit our beloved dogs. Please ask all club members to consider a donation to the AKC PAC. One hundred percent of these donations will go directly to support the campaigns of candidates who will help protect our rights. I ve enclosed materials that provide more information about this program. Although the AKC PAC can only accept donations from individuals, clubs can help by conducting fundraisers and encourage their members to donate to the PAC. Please join me in taking a stand and making the voice of the dog fancy heard in Congress and in our state legislatures. Please contribute to this important program and distribute the enclosed materials to your members, colleagues and club newsletters. Together we can ensure that the right to own, breed and exhibit dogs is protected for generations to come. Sincerely, Nina Schaefer Chairman, AKC PAC Board

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19 !6!!# $ $! 6 %)!6!!# $ #$! )!# 6 %)!6!!#/ $ $! - #' 6 %)!6!!#" $ #$! "!!-!!! 6 %)!6!!# $ "#$! * 5" )!# & 6!6!!#5 $!6 - #'& 6 /8 " - #'& 6!6!!#( #$!6% 0!@!!#! 49.; 49A #!*8 4 0!@!!#!49.; 49A #!*8 4 0!@!!#!49.; 49A #!*8 4 '/ " ' 2'& 6 0!!6!!#" $ "! / ' 2'& 6!6!!# $ ) #& 6 0!!6!!#/ $ % & 6 0!!6!!#/ $! & 6 0!!6!!# $! 4 / 2!2'& 6 ()!6!!# $ $!* 0 8! 6 ()!6!!#5 $ $!*- " 8! 6 ()!6!!# $ $!

20 - 8 * ( >4 '/ 6!$'!!#!. $'!.; $' )!# & 6 ()!6!!# $ #$! - - '" '!& 6 0!!6!!#5 $ $!* - ''& 6 0!!6!!#/ $ $! / - ''& 6 0!!6!!#"/ $ " $!* 0 ( - ''& 6 0!!6!!# $ "#$! 5 - ''& 6 0!!6!!#/ $ -. $ 6!#!6!!#( $ $! ) ##!2'& 6 0!!6!!#" $ "#$! / ) ##!2'& 6 0!!6!!# $ - " #,! 6 0!!6!!#" $ ( A ; # & 6 0!!6!!# $ 5 A ; # & 6 0!!6!!# $ "#$! '' '".- 6 ()!6!!# $ "#$! " )!# & 6 () $!! #!$'. '#

21 3 3" &6 6 ()!6!!#" $ $!*- " &6 6 ()!6!!#" $ $!*- '!& 6 ()!6!!# $ $! '!& 6 ()!6!!# $ $! / - '' +& 6 ()!6!!# $ #$! ( - '' +& 6 ()!6!!# $ #$! 5 - '' +& 6 ()!6!!# $ $!.- 6 ()!6!!# $ #$! > " &6 6!#!6!!#% $ $!* 0. #$%&8 3 () ) +*./+/ " )!# & 02!#!!! 5/9/! - #'& 0 2!#!!! 59/ #! $! AWARDS BANQUET The GPGRC 2009 Awards Banquet is scheduled for Saturday, March 6, 2010, 5 p.m. at the Siba Market Caffé in Four Seasons. Everyone should have received their invitation and menu in the mail. Questions should be directed to Julie Rihn, Banquet Chairperson, julierihn@zoominternet.net or call

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23 THE GOLDEN GAIT Greater Pittsburgh Golden Retriever Club, Inc. Sue Francis, Editor 100 Foxcroft Road Pittsburgh, PA OFFICERS President Rochelle Latkanich 130 Stump Drive Belle Vernon, PA Vice-President Barbara Schurman 9593 Castleton Drive Allison Park, PA Secretary Gerry Taylor 57 Longuevue Drive Pittsburgh, PA Treasurer George Taylor 57 Longuevue Drive Pittsburgh, PA DIRECTORS Kristine Tosadori 72 Kennedy Lane McKees Rocks, PA Pat Depp 21 Norwich Avenue Pittsburgh, PA COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS Sue Francis 100 Foxcroft Road Pittsburgh, PA Agility Sue Francis Accomplishment Recorder Grace Samios 1622 Lakeview St. Jamestown, PA Pet Therapy John Schurman Historian Grace West GRCA Delegate Barbara Martin National Puppy Referral Pat Depp Puppy Referral-Local Sandy Wall Parliamentarian George Taylor GRCA News Rep. Steve Smallhoover GPGRC Web Page Julie Rihn Membership Pat Depp Education Rochelle Latkanich Rescue Gerry Taylor Field Kris Tosadori Hospitality Dian Hurka Specialty Gerry Taylor Merchandise Kris Tosadori Program Jim Poole Newsletter Sue Francis