Editorial: December 13, 2024

So here we are at the end of another year. As far as Dog News editorials go, it’s more than 40 years and counting. So much has happened over those four decades that it’s hard to keep count. Some are life changing, and others are just getting back to a sense of normalcy. This coming new year in particular will be a game changer, not just nationally but within our own community with the new regulation that will become effective January 1: All handlers and agents who want to be listed in the show catalog must take an online course called Darkness To Light that addresses inappropriate behavior and sexual abuse. On completion, a certificate is issued that is submitted to the American Kennel Club, and a new handler or agent number is issued. All judges are also required to take this online course. How wide a net this new procedure will be cast begs the question: Will it include all American Kennel Club employees, delegates, show superintendents, stewards, show chairs and their committees, and any other official or hired employee of the dog show? We have all known or have suspected inappropriate behavior through the years by some in the sport; it wasn’t until the Me Too Movement that it was brought into the light, compounded by the public’s exposure to the horrendous, perverted allegations against a well-respected exhibitor and judge, which were reported nationally. It was a blemish that we as a community could not and should not ignore. The safety of everyone in the sport is paramount and should not be taken lightly. In this present-day world of political correctness, the line of proper behavior is sometimes crossed. Crude jokes and or gestures can prove to be very disturbing to some, while other just laugh it off. It is a fine line, and we have to learn to live within those boundaries. Kudos to the American Kennel Club for establishing these new guidelines, and if through these educational online videos one person is spared the trauma of being groomed or sexually harassed, then all of this was not done in vain. It is a sober note to end on for the end of the year but one that needed to be addressed. With all that, we at Dog News wish each and every one the best of the holiday session and the best of health and happiness for the coming New Year. We thank you for your support, and we look forward to 2025. Safe travels.