While not specifically shiba-related, I came across this on a malamute list that I belong to and thought it was a great event. Besides, shibas can pull a sled (lots of them anyway )

http://www.mushforacure.com
What is the Mush For a Cure? The Mush For a Cure is a non-competitive sled dog run with proceeds donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. This is not a race, no awards will be given for order of finish. This is a fun event to celebrate the sport of dog mushing and to cap off a winter of hard work, training and racing while raising funds to find a cure for breast cancer. The minimal entry fee is to cover the costs of insurance, trail permitting, etc. This can be in the form of a personal check from the participant, raised in pledges or both. However, participants are encouraged to get pledges above and beyond the entry fee.

You may recall I asked for your positive thoughts and prayers recently for George Heitzman, however tonight I received this email:

What impressed me later on about him was his dedication to actually helping Junior Handlers and not just giving out ribbons when judging Junior Showmanship. He would actually give out a little “report card.” He usually took too long, but he took his responsibility to the juniors seriously.

He was a good dog man. Our sympathies to his family and especially to his wife, Barbara Alderman.

For every time this video is watched, Pedigree will donate a bowl of food to dogs in shelters

Last night we went to the McHenry County Animal Control Advisory meeting. It was packed full of people who wanted to comment on the proceedings. It probably would have been even more crowded except for the snowy weather. We plan to attend next month as well to see what decision the committee comes to.

Ultimately the dog fancy and animal control are all on the same side (or should be), but personally I do not believe this ordinance is necessary nor can it be properly enforced. Copy and link to the article and comments below.

Proposed animal ordinance draws foes

By KEVIN P. CRAVER – kcraver@nwherald.com
CRYSTAL LAKE – Don’t mess with McHenry County’s pet lovers.

Almost 150 of them crammed into a small meeting room Wednesday evening to tell the McHenry County Animal Control Advisory Committee that the idea of limiting the number of animals that residents can own was a bad one. A member of the McHenry County Board had brought up the idea last year based on constituents’ concerns.

It took almost two hours to get through the people who packed the county’s Animal Control and
Adoption Center to speak, and not one supported the idea. The committee planned to mull over whether such a need exists in the county, but it has no authority to implement the ordinance, Committee Chairman Ed Varga told the audience.

But that did not ease the concerns of the sea of opponents, who disliked the concept on grounds ranging from animal rights to intrusive government. Some, like Harvard resident Gregg Rang, said that county residents were taxed and governed enough without extra regulations in place.

“This panel, the health department and the County Board do not have to do this to show us that they’re doing something,” Rang said. “Just the fact that you’re even thinking about this scares the hell out of me.”

The committee decided to table the discussion until its next meeting because of the amount of input they received. Varga handled the lengthy public comment portion with wit and humor, and the audience was civil in their remarks.

The concept of limiting the number of animals that residents can own is not uncommon in McHenry County – cities such as Algonquin, Huntley, Lakewood and Johnsburg have such laws. And except for Cook County, which leaves such matters to municipal governments, every bordering Illinois county has limits that vary widely in strictness.

Some residents murmured during the meeting that the county was considering limits for the sole purpose of keeping up with other governments.

Residents such as Bob Kunz of Lake in the Hills told the committee that people already were abandoning their pets because of the recession and any limiting law would cause more people to do so as well. He said people right now should be encouraged by government to take in strays.

“There are people going through tough times economically,” Kunz said. “There are people downsizing without the county board having to tell them to downsize.”

Other speakers said they worried that limiting animal ownership would actually run contrary to the health department’s mission because people would stop vaccinating their pets and paying for veterinary care out of fear of being discovered as having too many animals.

We were in Birmingham, Alabama for Christmas visiting Jonathan’s mom. What a difference 600 miles makes … when we left our house on the 21st the temperature was minus 6 (brrrr!). It was a little hairy driving for the first hundred miles or so and then the ice and snow just disappeared and warmer temperatures prevailed. On the day we left (the 27th) it was somewhere about 70 degrees. Just too warm for Christmas Holidays! 

Very happy to be back home with the woofies!

Title: Elgin KC Super Match
Location: DuPage County Fairgrounds, Exhibition Building, Country Farm Road & Manchester Rd, Wheaton IL
Link out: Click here http://www.elginkennelclub.com
Description: Please check the website for information and contacts
Date: 2009-01-10

Updated December 14

Doors open 7:30am, Obedience judging starts at 8:30am, Conformation Judging starts at 10:00am
Match Secretary: Carol Haines cremebichson@aol.com
Entry Fee: 9.00 (gate), Gate entries close 30 minutes before the breed is scheduled for judging. Please use any AKC form.

Conformation Classes divided by Sex:
Puppies: 3-6, 6-9, 9-12 months
Adults: Open

Junior Showmanship: Juniors 8-12 years, Seniors 13-17 years

Obedience Classes: Novice A, Novice B, Open A, Open B, Utility A, Utility B

Mikasa Crystal Trophies for Best Puppy in Match, Best Adult in Match, First in each Variety Group, HIghest Scoring Dog in Match.
Rosettes: Best in Match Puppy & Adult

Please bring your own chairs.

Non-Sporting/Shiba Judge: Mrs. Janet Svoboda, Ring 3 at 11:30

ah the weather forecasters … we were supposed to get hammered last week, got barely an inch twice, this morning called for flurries trace to an inch, woke up to 3-4 inches and it’s still snowing!

From the Bad Dog Friday December news:

Yes, it’s a possibility. If you live in McHenry County, please be sure to attend the meeting on January 7th (see information below) or send your opinions to Sue Draffkorn at SXDraffkorn@co.mchenry.il.us, Debra Quackenbush at daquackenbush@co.mchenry.il.us and Ed Varga BoardofHealth@co.mchenry.il.us.

Someone that posted comments to the Northwest Herald site gave these sites opposing dog limits that I thought were excellent pieces that could give used by others facing this same sort of legislation. Feel free to pass these on.

• http://www.nokilladvocacycenter.org/pdf/PetLimitLaws.pdf a piece written by the No Kill Advocacy Center
• http://www.theanimalcouncil.com/files/SFSPCA_Limit_Laws_4_00_f.pdf Pet Limit Laws: Closing the Door to Loving Homes

From the Northwest Herald site (copied below without comments), http://www.nwherald.com/articles/2008/12/03/news/local/doc4936376b46f90596019010.txt

Updated: County ponders pet limits

By KEVIN P. CRAVER – kcraver@nwherald.com

Note to readers: The McHenry County Animal Control Advisory Committee meeting originally scheduled for tonight, and mentioned in the story below, has been rescheduled for 7 p.m. Jan. 7 due to inclement weather and poor driving conditions.

Owning 50 Fidos could be a problem if the county decides to restrict the number of animals that residents can have.

It’s hardly an unknown concept – a number of McHenry County municipalities and surrounding counties already have such ordinances. But the McHenry County Board of Health Animal Control Advisory Committee tonight plans to discuss the pros and cons of implementing such a rule at the county level.

The committee wants to know what is on residents’ minds, said Ed Varga, the committee’s chairman and health board president. The idea first was broached in October at the behest of a McHenry County Board member and has not advanced beyond very early discussion.

“I think, for the time being, we’re looking at what the prevailing thinking is from the community,” Varga said.

County Board member Sue Draffkorn, R-Wonder Lake, said she asked the health department to look into an ordinance based on complaints she had received from constituents. She said a rule limiting the number of pets should not be burdensome if area municipalities have them.

Health department spokeswoman Debra Quackenbush said today’s discussion likely would focus primarily on whether a need existed.

“Is there a growing need for that – something we need to put in place prior to problems becoming an issue?” Quackenbush said.

Although many area governments limit the number of animals residents can own, those rules vary widely.

Algonquin, Johnsburg and Marengo limit residents to four domestic animals, while Lakewood’s ordinance limits up to four dogs and cats. Huntley limits residents to three domestic animals, while Cary and Fox River Grove have a three-dog limit and no limit on cats.

Kane and Lake counties limit ownership to three dogs and three cats, while Lake County allows more with additional acreage.

Largely agricultural Boone County places no limits on cats but limits residents to owning 10 dogs. Cook County leaves limits to municipalities.

Cities that do not limit the number of pets include Harvard, Lakemoor, McHenry, Richmond, Spring Grove and Woodstock.

If you go

McHenry County Animal Control Advisory Committee

When: 7 p.m. today.

Where: McHenry County Animal Control and Adoption Center, 100 N. Virginia St., Crystal Lake.

here’s the view of our front yard this morning through a screen, but you get the drift, pun intended  It could have been worse, we didn’t get down to freezing until later yesterday afternoon so nothing prior to that had “stuck” or we could have had twice as much. I know in parts of Wisconsin toward Milwaukee they had about 9 inches of snow.

always useful, but please remember that although some of the articles reference dogs being off-lead, we specifically do NOT recommend ever letting your shiba off lead in an unconfined area

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