The Gossip Column: August 11, 2023

The WESTMINSTER WEEKEND is taking shape now that the club has announce its dates and venue for the 2024 event. It returns on Saturday, May 11, with obedience and agility, and conformation on Monday and Tuesday, May 13 and 14, to the USA BILLIE JEAN KING NATIONAL TENNIS CENTER in Flushing Meadows. ...

With that news, we are pleased to announce that the black-tie PURINA® PRO PLAN® SHOW DOGS OF THE YEAR AWARDS DINNER partnered with DOG NEWS will take place on Sunday evening, May 12,, in Manhattan at the famous GOTHAM HALL. There we will once again celebrate the achievements of the top-winning dogs in each variety group, top obedience dog and Junior showman of 2023, along with the announcement of the nationwide online voting results for the Judge, Professional Handler, Breeder, Owner Handler and Show of the Year. It’s a wonderful evening where we get all dressed up to celebrate our friends and competitors, but most of all the sport of purebred dogs. In addition to the Golden Pooper Scooper Award, crowning the evening will be the newest inductee to the ANNE ROGERS HALL OF FAME. ...

It was one of the nicer endings to a dog-rescue story for many of the 4,000 dogs rescued from the ENVIGO BREEDING & RESEARCH FACILITY in Cumberland, Virginia. An article written by LAUREN MCCARTHY & JOHNNY DIAZ for THE NEW YORK TIMES follows the rehoming journey of the last Beagle to be removed from that facility to his new owner SUZANNE BROWN-PELLETTIER. Nearly a year later, the dogs that were suitable to be rehomed are adjusting to their new owners and homes, living a life they have never known and learning to run on grass. Among those who have adopted these dogs are New Jersey Governor PHIL MURPHY, who adopted a dog named MORTY, and PRINCE HARRY & MEGAN MARKLE, who adopted MAMA MIA. ...

FRAN REISMAN is home recuperating from back surgery from injuries she sustained in last year’s car accident. ...

Celebrating Wedding Anniversaries ... AMY & ANDREW GREEN and JANE & GREG MYERS. Celebrating Birthdays … BOBBY FISHER (who has lived long enough to have been a successful dog breeder, owner-handler, professional handler, field representative and judge, but most of all my lifelong friend), ELLEN ROBERTS, TIM TERELLA, KENNY SAENZ, BOB BURKHOLDER, STEVE HAYDEN, LUKE SEIDLITZ, SANDY FREI, TRAVIS LUIJTEN and GEORGE MURRAY.