Question of the Week

Sue Bauman 

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

An AKC delegate should be limited to four years and understand AKC rules for any AKC event. They also must attend the delegates meetings consistently along with the meetings of their club. They must be actively participating in their respective clubs and be involved with their club’s competitions, ensuring AKC rules are followed. If they are held to four years, it allows fresh ideas to come into play.

Brian Clegg

Cincinnati, Ohio

I believe meeting at least the minimum requirement to become an AKC judge would be a good starting point.

Glenda Stephenson

Palm Bay, Florida

"To become an American Kennel Club (AKC) delegate, a person must meet the following requirements as outlined in Article VI of the AKC Bylaws:

Represent a member club: The delegate must represent an AKC member club, and the club and the delegate must both be in good standing with the AKC.

US citizen or permanent resident: The delegate must be a US citizen or have permanent resident alien status.

Occupational eligibility: The delegate must meet all occupational eligibility criteria.

No criminal record: The delegate cannot have been found guilty of or admitted to the theft, embezzlement or misappropriation of funds or property from an AKC club. "

Patti Marks

Willow Grove, Pennsylvania

I believe there should be time limits on all elected offices.
 

Lorene Wilson

Murrieta, California

Absolutely, uniform minimum requirements should be established for this particular important position. Term limits should also be applied to the AKC delegate position to enable other qualified, long-term, experienced club members a fair and equal opportunity to participate as an AKC delegate.

Marylyn DeGregorio 

Hartsdale, New York

If a club member in good standing meets AKC eligibility requirements and has an appreciation for the time and in some cases expense involved in serving as that club’s delegate, this should be sufficient. Key phrase here is “member in good standing.”

I serve on the Delegate Advocacy and Advancement Committee. This committee is charged with exactly what its name suggests. We have created a number of documents concerning delegate duties, club relationships and responsibility. There is one video on YouTube now (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-Mp3Z9fg7s), and we are working on another about what delegates do at meetings and how we can impact the way AKC and the fancy relate. We hope that our delegates are prepared to serve for enough time to feel they are a part of the legislative process in the AKC, so we try to mentor and support delegates both new and established. 

Desi Murphy

Monroe, New York

Yes! They should have to attend a certain number of shows per year, as well as a certain number of meetings per year. 

Jay Phinizy

Acworth, New Hampshire

Simply put, no! It’s up to the clubs to choose their delegate, which is as it should be. A blend of new ideas with old does not hurt any deliberative body — even AKC. There are already too many requirements imposed on exhibitors, judges and breeders by AKC, whether by rule or “custom” — the latter of which evolves into policies. If one believes in term limits for the AKC board (not really successful, frankly), similar restrictions applied to the delegate body would create the possibility of greater exclusivity. It is difficult for clubs to get members now without creating an overlay of requirements that essentially would be unenforceable. It should be up to the member club to ascertain who is most suitable to represent a member club, not AKC. I would rather see the delegate committees and delegate body focus on reviewing existing policies (board and staff) on judging, discipline, shows and regulations, which have become often contradictory and counterproductive.

Robin Stansell

Clayton, North Carolina

A member in good standing should be sufficient if the club chooses to elect them. However, attending at least two meetings each year should be required. 

Mary Anne Brocious

Milford, Michigan

A club’s delegate should be someone that the club has confidence in representing them in a professional and informed manner. Many clubs invest their money in the delegate to get them to meetings and should carefully select the individual. If the AKC would like to make recommendations for clubs to consider when selecting a delegate, that would be appropriate, but not rules on the resume of their club representatives. In many clubs, the pool of members willing to serve is small considering the demands of travel and gathering information to report to their respective clubs. 

Sylvia Arrowwood

Charleston, South Carolina

Agree there should be some type of requirements to serve as a delegate, but it would be hard to pass the delegate body to amend the bylaws. Each club has the right to choose who they want as their delegate, and I don't believe they will ever give up that right.

Tom Bradley

Watertown, New York

Why worry about the delegates when judges are allowed to stumble on and on and on and on?!