Breed Standard Update

My comment...please put on your blogs and websites to get the word out.

Cathy

Breed Standard Petition update

Just an update on how the project to follow the ASCA by-laws and allow the membership to vote on the Breed Standards Review Committee revisions is coming. I also need to answer some of the questions I am getting. For those unaware of this effort, there is information and the downloadable petition here: http://users.htcomp.net/slashv/breedstandard.htm

There is also more information on the Facebook group here: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/profile.php?id=100001755880633

The suggested revisions written by the ASCA Commitee after 7 years of work and membership input are on the first link above. The ASCA Board of Directors stopped the revisions from going to the membership for a section by section vote in 2007. The by-laws allow a revision to go to the membership for vote only with a petition of 20% of the ASCA membership if the Board will not approve it. That is about the percentage who vote in an election where ballots are mailed to each of our homes with an addressed envelope to return them! At this time we have nearly 400 signatures but need close to 1400 to submit the petition. Remember, this petition is NOT a vote to approve the revisions. It is simply a vote to allow membership voting.

Only with a huge effort by the membership will YOU be allowed to vote on these very important revisions that CLARIFY the 1977 Standard.

Some of you have asked:1. Do I have to print this out and mail it or can I do it via the internet? Answer: it must be signed in person and mailed2. Is there a deadline? No, the only deadline is when 1400 signatures are received.3. Must I be an ASCA member to sign? Yes, per the by-laws one must be a member in good standing.4. What else can I do to help with this?a. You can take the petition to shows, trials, and club meetings to get signatures.b. You can write to the ASCA Board of Directors and again ask them to allow the membership to vote. executive.secretary@asca.orgc.

You can send the link to the revisions and petition to all of your friends who are ASCA members.d. If you are on Facebook, join the Group and invite your friends to join.

The letters and notes sent with petitions that I am receiving make me believe even more that Aussie lovers in all venues from conformation to working to obedience to agility to pet owners, believe this is a worthwhile project for this breed we all love.

The Standard now does not, and the revisions do not, favor anyone's dog(s) or bloodline but rather are the written blueprint of the dog that the present 33 year old Standard and annotations was written for.

The revisions CLARIFY the present Standard to ensure that judges and breeders alike totally understand it, because that is NOT happening and some of the fads and trends are alarming.

Thanks to all who will stand up to the Board and tell them that we want the right to vote on this very important document.

Feel free to ask any questions that you might have either privately or on this list.

Terry

permission to cross post and forward

Terry Martin

Slash V Australian Shepherdshttp://users.htcomp.net/slashvhttp://americanssupportinganimalownership.com/