SPCA , Kennel Club dog training clubs on same page
Media Release 21 October 2005
SPCA and NZ Kennel Club’s dog training clubs are singing out of the same hymn book
Peg Loague tonight opened the NZ Kennel Club’s
2005 National Dog Training Assembly in Taupo. It is the
biggest dog sports event in the country, and the biggest
NDTA in over fifteen years.
Mrs Loague has been “around critters for a long time” in her words. A founder of the Taupo SPCA 36 years ago in 1969, she has had continuous field experience since then, and she has served as National President of the RSPCA until 2000. Peg is a lay appointee on the Veterinary Council of New Zealand and works as an independent animal welfare adviser.
She told competitors tonight that “There is a world wide overpopulation of companion animals.
“One of the things the breeders among you can do to guard against this is ensure that the animals you sell are either to be used for responsible and very discriminate breeding, or leave you as desexed pets,” she said.
“Over the years it was rewarding when really happy families brought their loved canines back to the SPCA to visit and I could see how good the match was.
“Invariably I recommended puppies and young dogs be taken to dog obedience, explaining that, done properly, this helped the owner understand how best to get a cooperative, well behaved and happy dog..
“The people here tonight are important in providing that training. The NZ Kennel Club includes about 50 dog training clubs from Whangarei to Invercargill. You train for competition obedience and agility, and that is why you’re here this weekend. But you also offer domestic training classes where the public can enroll and learn how to train their dog. That is a valuable public good offered by NZ Kennel Club members.
“I admire you all for the relationship you have with your dogs,” said Peg Loague
ENDS
www.nzkc.org.nz