Editorial: December 2001

Wanted - world canine news

THINGS are ticking away nicely with our online magazine that is now being read and subscribed to by dog owners and breeders in at least six countries.

We do need more news, stories and articles, upcoming events, and hopefully photographs of winners/runners-up in national events in all countries. The more photographs the better, and articles can be from any country and can cover national level championships in the show ring, agility events, obedience, field trials, farm dog trials, gundog trials, national greyhound and whippet racing championships, sled racing, and even 'random bred' (pet) champions!

For those who want to send photos by e-mail, please save them in jpeg mode if possible and as large files as possible please.

And although we no longer offer a free subscription for the best 'Dogs at Home' photographs (because everyone can obtain a free online copy from our website) we would still love to receive photos of your dogs doing what they get up to at home - all the better if it is humorous!

If you have any news that you think is interesting, or if you find a canine website that you think others would like to know about, just send an email to the address below and we will include it if we have room.

The barbaric treatment of dogs in Korea, Thailand, China, the Philippines and associated areas continues to be more than a worry. There is only one way to force the governments of these countries to close down such pagan orgies of blood and violence and that is to boycott that country's goods until a huge improvement is observed.

To that end I would encourage anyone who has information on any product that is likely to be produced through the suffering of a dog to email me and if it truly is a product made from dogs, I will print the source and point of sale.

Products to look for are rawhide chew bones from Thailand (yes, these are made of dog skin), fur from any of those countries (they are too cowardly and too aware of public disgust to call this dog fur and instead call it lamb, calf or goat skin, gaewolf, sobaki, gubi, or Asian jackal ... never dog!).

Breeders who value their dogs and their lines should NEVER sell to such Asian countries - their pedigree dog may come back to them as an expensive briefcase, car seat covers, a handbag, trimming on a coat or jacket, or similar products. Even if they know the person they are selling to, if this person produces puppies, or sells the purchase to anyone else, its fate could be horrific.

Exposure and boycott are the only ways to end the suffering of innocent dogs.

I will look forward to hearing from anyone who has any information that leads to identification of retailers who sell such products.

One retailer that deserves huge praise for its refusal to purchase dog products is the C&A chain in Britain. Congratulations for a positive and humane attitude.

British readers are encouraged to shop at branches of this chain. - Elezabeth