Last Friday, I was pleased to participate in honoring Dr. Arnold Goldman, DVM MPH, and the Connecticut Federation of Dog Clubs, as the most recent winner of the Bebout Award for Legislative Leadership, at AKC Headquarters in New York City. Learn More
Thankfully, our guests made it home safely before the blizzard hit New York. My own flight got cancelled and I found myself in the enviable position of being “snowed in” in New York City for a weekend.
AKC Headquarters is located across the street from the Pierpont Morgan Library. Saturday Morning I took the opportunity to reacquaint myself with the treasures of this world class museum. The artistic and literature collections preserved and made public by the Morgan family are extraordinary in the world and speak to human yearning for beauty, higher ideals, the advancement of science and human knowledge.
These are the same ideals that inspire our dedicated purebred dog breeders. Created for a specific function, purebred dogs are a work of incomparable beauty. They have been our loyal companions, co-workers and heroes throughout the ages. They speak to human yearning for what is good and beautiful. They remind us of our history. They bring joy to our days.
But purebred dogs are so much more than museum pieces. The birth of each new generation inspires us. They are works of art that deserve at very least the same protection, support, respect and admiration. These living treasures and their breeders must be protected, allowed to flourish, give back to their human companions, and remain accessible to all.