The Schaferhunde News
The German Shepherd Dog Club of Greater Kansas City
Founded 1923
Issue - March 2020
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
AND OFFICERS
2020 Officers
President Chris Kimerer, Vice President Debbie McHenry, Treasurer Mike Kennedy, Rec. Secretary Sally Hamm, Corres. Secy. Amy Edwards
2020 Directors
JoClair Gipe, Bruce Hudson, Chairman, Nancy Kennedy, Pat Robinette, Lynette Stone
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE FROM CHRIS KIMERER
As I sit here at home, observing the Shelter in Place issued by our Governor, as well as protecting myself from Covid-19 due to my compromised immunity, it is amazing to witness daily changes for us as Americans, as well as those around the world.
Had anyone informed me that turning the clocks forward for daylight savings time would result in entering the twilight zone, I might have re-considered doing so. With that said, I do find it encouraging to see how people are coping and re-connecting to a much slower paced lifestyle than we have experienced in perhaps decades. Neighbors reaching out to one another, having fellowship and perhaps a glass of wine while in their own driveways. Companies aiding in the efforts to provide food and supplies to those in need, all sorts of relief efforts being launched to help in this enormous effort to stop this virus. Everyone has been affected by this, our club is no exception.
As you’re more than likely aware, we have cancelled all social activities including our Regular monthly meetings, Classes in the park as well as the Bone-Anza sponsored event with North Kansas City Parks and Rec. Please check our website for any updates and changes, as of right now, we have cancelled April & May’s Meetings including Board Meetings.
We will continue to do our monthly Newsletter which will be a great vehicle of communication besides our Website. Marion Baker has done a phenomenal job keeping the Newsletter fresh and up to date, thank you Marion!!!!!!
As of right now, we still plan on having our June Specialty Shows and our now August Obedience/Rally Trial (we relinquished our July date to Greater Kansas City Dog Training Center due to re-scheduling issues with their judges and felt it was the right thing to do in this crisis).
Time will tell if these shows will be doable, at this point, it is a wait and see, one day at a time situation.
Everyone, hang in there, we’re all in this together and we will get thru this!!!!!
~Chris~
The General meeting led by President Chris Kimerer was held on Tuesday, March 10, 2020. There were three guest present and a total of 9 German Shepherd Dogs. There were big, little, and in-between size of dogs. "Yes, I guess we can say that this meeting went to the dogs." Don’t' get confused with the literal definition because we really had a super meeting.
The Heart of America & Leavenworth Kennel Club Cluster Dog Shows
A small gathering was held to honor Chris Kimerer, President GSDCGKC on her birthday at the Heart of America Dog show the weekend of March 4-8. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHRIS!!!
Pictures provided by Tammy Peterson.
The dog and puppy training classes scheduled for April 9 – May 21 have been canceled.
Please contact Debbie McHenry, debbie@gsdcgkc.com with questions.
Saturday, April 4, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m., Bone-Anza, Easter Egg Hunt for Dogs at Waggin' Trail Park, NKC
Thursday, April 9 – 7:00 p.m., Shelter House, Macken Park, NKC, Training – Beginning Pet Manners
Tuesday, April 14, 7:00 p.m. General Meeting, North Kansas City Parks & Recreation Center, Macken Park, 1202 Clark Ferguson Drive, North Kansas City, MO, Program – First Aid when your GSD Torsions/Bloats
Thursday, April 16 - 7:00 p.m., Shelter House, Macken Park, NKC, Training – Beginning Pet Manners
Thursday, April 23 - 7:00 p.m., Shelter House, Macken Park, NKC, Training – Beginning Pet Manners
Thursday, April 30 - 7:00 p.m., Shelter House, Macken Park, NKC, Training – Beginning Pet Manners
The German Shepherd Dog Club of Greater Kansas City will be hosting a three-day Conformation Show on Friday, June 5th, Saturday, June 6th, and Sunday, June 7th, 2020.
Saturday's show will be held in honor of Patti Brown, Summitwood Kennels. Patti along with her husband, Tom were long-time breeders of quality German Shepherd Dogs. The Summitwood dogs were well known here in the Midwest. The Best Puppy Trophy donated generously by Frances Hamann will be presented in Patti's memory.
The event will be held at Smith's Fork Park, 1610 Route DD, Smithville, MO.
SHOW HOURS
3:00 pm – 9:00 pm Friday
7:30 am to 4:00 pm-Saturday
7:30 am to 4:00 pm-Sunday
ENTRIES CLOSE, Wednesday, May 20th, 2020, 6:00 pm.
The Premium can be obtained at the German Shepherd Dog Club of America website: www.GSDCA.org or The German Shepherd Dog Club of Greater Kansas City website.: www.GSDCGKC.com.
For information, please contact Show Chair, Lynette Stone, lstone@wurthbaersupply.com.
Please consider signing up to set up and take down for this event. Everyone is invited to volunteer your time during the show weekend.
The annual Bone-Anza event at Waggin' Trail Dog Park has been temporarily cancelled. Please contact Jo Clair if you have any questions.
It's official!!!
Lacie Lapee and Mark Jensen were unanimously accepted into the membership of our club.
Take time to thank our new members for joining our organization. Let them know how our different events and activities work.
The Specialty and Obedience/Rally competitions are one of the most important events that the club hosts annually. Each year the trophy Committee selects ribbons and awards that will be appreciated and treasured by our exhibitors.
The cost of providing a competition venue for our sport is a major expense for the club and so we must rely on our members and friends to support the club. We are asking each member to consider a donation of $20.00 to support the trophy fund.
With a donation in the amount of your choice to the General Trophy Fund, your support will be acknowledged in the upcoming Specialty Show Catalog.
Please submit your donations to Chris Kimerer before May 1st. Make checks payable to the GSDCGKC.
Chris Kimerer
1409 Orrick Road
Excelsior Springs, MO 64024
We thank you for your assistance with the acquisition of the trophies and awards.
This is a reprint of the article sent out by the AKC regarding the possibility of dogs contracting the coronavirus.
Can dogs contract or spread coronavirus COVID-19?
Dogs can contract certain types of coronaviruses, such as the canine respiratory coronavirus, but this specific novel coronavirus, aka COVID-19, is believed to not be a threat to dogs.
The World Health Organization has stated, “While there has been one instance of a dog being infected in Hong Kong, to date, there is no evidence that a dog, cat or any pet can transmit COVID-19. COVID-19 is mainly spread through droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks. To protect yourself, clean your hands frequently and thoroughly.”
Li Lanjuan, an epidemiologist and representative of China’s National Health Commission cautioned pet owners in China to be vigilant about their own health and the health of their pets: “If pets go out and have contact with an infected person, they have the chance to get infected. By then, pets need to be isolated. In addition to people, we should be careful with other mammals especially pets.”
The CDC says that “while this virus seems to have emerged from an animal source, it is now spreading from person-to-person.” The CDC recommends that people traveling to China avoid animals both live and dead, “but there is no reason to think that any animals or pets in the United States might be a source of infection with this novel coronavirus.”
While the one dog in Hong Kong has shown a “low-level infection” with COVID-19 that is “likely to be a case of human-to-animal transmission,” local government health officials emphasize that “there is currently no evidence that pet animals can be a source of infection of COVID-19 or that they become sick.”
Dr. Jerry Klein, Chief Veterinary Officer for the AKC, says, “The CDC has not reported any cases of pets or other animals becoming infected with COVID-19 in the United States or anywhere else in the world, including hotbeds like Italy.” Dr. Klein urges common sense best practices when it comes to our pets: “If you have children, you wouldn’t have them touch a puppy and put their fingers in their mouth, because they can have fecal contamination,” he says. “The general practice of washing our hands after touching a puppy or a dog—that’s normal hygiene.”
