Fanciers this month commemorated a rich tradition in the sport of purebred dogs as well as opened their hearts to provide continued relief to those dogs left homeless by the hurricanes affecting the Gulf region.
With more than 3,600 entries at the 2005 Morris & Essex Kennel Club dog show, this second revival of the original show hosted by Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge from 1927 to 1957 at Giralda Farms, was a great tribute to the work of a woman many called the “dog fancier of the 20th century.”
While her passion was purebred dogs, she had a special place in her heart for all dogs. She also had a hand in two important milestones for all dogs that took place in 1939. First, the largest single-day entry for a purebred dog show (4,456 entries at M & E) and the other was the incorporation of St. Hubert’s Giralda, the foundation that would eventually establish the St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center.
Her dream to offer those animals suffering and neglected a safe haven and to then make them available for adoption to responsible owners became a reality when the first homeless dog came to the shelter in 1958. Today, that shelter is housed on the grounds of her former estate in Madison, N.J.
St. Hubert’s offers animals and people a wide variety of programs that nurture the human-animal bond and foster an environment in which people respect all living creatures. We couldn’t agree more with their mission. AKC was proud to help support St. Hubert’s with an airlift of “Katrina dogs” from the gulf region to New Jersey on October 1. With help from the AKC/CAR Canine Support and Relief Fund these dogs will either be reunited with their owners or start a new life, just as Mrs. Dodge envisioned. Many of our fanciers and clubs contributed generously to the AKC/CAR fund.
In a way, this synergy between the AKC, the dog fancy, and St. Hubert’s, has not only brought her legacy full circle at St. Hubert’s but is keeping us true to our slogan, “We’re more than champion dogs, we’re the dog’s champion.”
Sincerely,
Ron Menaker
Chairman