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Important Notice to all Show entries.

NEW ZKC LEVIES FOR SHOWS

All handlers who enter any show in 2003 must now pay: Clubs entry fee, ZKC Levy per dog as well as KCH Levy per dog [if the show is held in KCH Grounds].

What does this mean for members of ZKC [Zimbabwe Kennel Club]?

The entry fee of the club holding show is for example $ 150 per class per dog, then you have to pay;

$ 150 [Club entry fee] + $ 30 [ZKC levy] + $ 5 [KCH levy]. Total of $ 185,-

If you are not a member of Zimbabwe Kennel Club

The entry fee of the club is for example $ 150 per class per dog, then you have to pay:

$ 150 [Club entry fee] + $ 500 [ZKC levy] + $ 5 [KCH levy]. Total of $ 655

Each club can decide on their own entry fee, so the 150 could go up to 200 or more. If you enter more than 5 shows a year, it pays you to become a member of ZKC.

ZKC Membership now stands at $ 2500,- per person per year. If you are not a member then you have to pay an entry fee of $ 2500,-.

I come across people who tell me that they are a member of KCH and then it appears that they mean ZKC. Let me explain. ZKC stands for Zimbabwe Kennel Club; this is our Umbrella, or in other words our Governing body. KCH, HKC. MLKA, WTA are individual clubs and are indicated with these letters to make it easier. KCH stand for Kennel Club of Harare, where most of us train our dogs for various disciplines. To be able to train your dog at KCH grounds, you have to be a member of KCH {Kennel club of Harare]. So please do not get mixed up and realise that it could become a little confused for some.

I can hear you saying, well then I will not enter any shows. Not enter? Not one show for the whole of 2003?

How many shows did you enter in the past, about 5 a year [either obedience or in conjunction with Working Trials or even with Dog Jumping as well as in the Breed?]

Do calculate how many you would enter, if its more than 5 shows a year you might as well become a member of ZKC as their membership is $ 2500,- per year and it will work out cheaper to be a member of ZKC.

Poodle with Peanut butter sauce. Read in the VDH June 2002

The world football was in full swing [why has this to do with the WTA?]. The Spanish team had adopted a pup to use as mascot. Not rally interesting but the pup was rescued out of the hands of the local Horeca show, which was planning to use it as a delicatessen meal. It has been known, for centuries, that Eastern countries have some funny habits concerning animals [life fish is served in Japan]. With a dog this is something different. You could find, on the menu, German Shepherd Dog Pie. The Shop could expect a stone through its windows. It has been known, that dog meat tastes better, when hitting the dog intensely, then stripped of its skin while still alive. This is absolutely unthinkable for us. Some years ago we were confronted with baby seals [Canada was boycotted], and in time to do the same with South Korea. Imagine that each cow or pig was first thrashed before it was killed for consumption; There are no words for these people in Korea. A good thing is that action has been taken against animal torture in South Korea, but if it helps, is just a big question. A great pity Korea came so high in the competition instead of Spain. Every member of the VDH must agree that a GSD should be on a lead instead of in the pot.

Dear Members it is the time of the year again that you have to renew your Membership fees [due on the 1st of January]. As with all things, unfortunately we have had to increase our fee for 2003 with the possibility that we have to look at it again in the middle of the year. Membership now stands at $ 200,- per person.

FETCH

The 66-year-old Brit Gordon Husband got a fright of his life when his dog, during the daily walk, did not come back with the usual thrown stick, but with a grenade in his mouth. Husband managed to ‘retrieve’ the grenade out of his 3-year-old collie ‘Shadow’ and made sure the pin was still in place!

Shadow always comes back with things out of the river. As I have been in military service, I straightaway recognized what she had, Husband told the reporter of ‘ The Sun’. After he took the grenade carefully back home, he reported it to the explosive demolition service, who came and detonated the grenade in a save place.

This is also the last News Letter you will receive if you have not re-newed your membership fee. Clubs need your support for them to be able to run the shows and give you training. Our Dog jumping training is on Thursdays, but due to members of the committee going on holiday we have cancelled the coming 3 Thursdays and will start on Thursday 9 January 2003 again. Look forward to see you all.

I feel quite bad about this Newsletter as it is full of warnings for payments, but we do hope you all bear with us and we can only exist when you support us, then we will help you train your dog. The committee wishes you a very happy Christmas and all the best for 2003 again.