February 1, 2019
The Solano County Board of Supervisors will consider a proposal at its Tuesday, February 5, meeting to limit the use of the Solano County Fairgrounds to the annual county fair. This would mean that all events that currently use the fairgrounds, including dog shows, would no longer continue at the venue.
Solano County is grappling with how best to utilize its aging fairgrounds and this proposal does not reflect an overt dislike of dog shows and events. However, should the county move forward with its proposal, about a dozen annual dog shows would have to find another venue. This would cause significant problems for clubs and the many shows that are held at the Solano County Fairgrounds.
Talking Points:
- The dog show season runs year-round and the loss of a long-standing venue could spell the end of many shows if suitable alternate sites cannot be found.
- Dog shows are an economic driver for both the venues and sounding businesses. Removing the shows will harm nearby lodging, restaurants, retail stores and other establishments that provide support and products to show participants and attendees.
- Dog shows are free to spectators and attendees and offer a family-friendly activities where the public can watch and interact with dogs, and speak to owners, handlers and breeders about particular breeds.
- Dog shows are cultural events that promote animal-human interaction. The Solano County Fairgrounds, located in the San Francisco Bay Area, gives more than 10 million people the opportunity to experience dogs performing in the show ring and other competitions, including obedience, scent work, tricks, and dock diving.
What Can You Do:
Attend the Board of Supervisors meeting if you are a resident of Solano County, and express your desire to keep the fairgrounds open to dog shows and many other animal, youth, cultural, civic and ethnic events:
Solano County Board of Supervisors Meeting
Tuesday, February 5, 2019
8:30 am
675 Texas Street
Fairfield, California 94533
Call or send comments to the Supervisors. Contact information is available through this link: https://www.solanocounty.com/depts/bos/members/default.asp
AKC Government Relations is also commenting on this proposal and Robert Miller, AKC’s Legislative Analyst, will be providing testimony at the hearing. For questions or more information on this issue contact Robert.miller@akc.org.