August is now over and I’ve noticed a few of those first dry leaves that drop to remind you that summer will not be around for much longer. In defiance, we ignore them and continue to enjoy the outdoor shows, events and patios. So far, the summer has been eventful in a lot of ways.
Ottawa was the location of the Annual General Meeting in June that brought many members together for an event that provided opportunity to recognize the contributions of several renowned members that were also in attendance. I encourage you to view the video recording of the AGM. Watch for more AGM highlights over the coming months that will include interviews with recipients of awards at the Member Recognition Reception.
In July, the first weekend of CKC Sprinter events was held by the Alberta Lure Coursing Association (ALCA) near Edmonton. Sprinter is a fun event open to all dogs to enjoy the challenge of running a 100-meter dash and earn titles when the dog accumulates a given number of points. This inaugural event was a huge success and great news as we continue to develop more new events.
Earthdog is another CKC event but it has been around for a very long time. It actually encourages and tests a dog’s age-old instincts of barking, digging or scratching. I was very fortunate to silently shadow a judge at an Earthdog event a few months ago and was equally fascinated and impressed by the amazing dogs doing what they were bred to do.
Closer to the office, we continue to work diligently on the IT4YOU project that promises to overhaul our registration processes and bring more convenience and self-service options. We are starting to see samples of what we can expect and it is creating excitement with the staff. Watch the following video to find out more.
Our most recent advocacy efforts have been mostly in Quebec and British Columbia where we are discussing proposed legislation with decision makers. We have a quarterly teleconference meeting with the BC SPCA to exchange updates and feedback on our respective initiatives.
The teleconference scheduled for this week was postponed however as the BC SPCA is deployed to assist with animals impacted by the raging wildfires in the province. The situation is dire and it’s unfathomable to consider the damage being done. Our best wishes go out to those impacted and those involved in the efforts to bring it under control as quickly as possible.