Saturday, June 7, 2014

It's Raining Cats & Dogs!
Why the AKC fights to keep puppy mills. Please click the above link to read all about it!

Monday, April 8, 2013

Continue to Say "NO TO AKC"!

Not only do Coton owners and breeders fight against recognition by the American Kennel Club, but we also fight the battle against the Coton de Tulear club that is seeking AKC recognition. The club that is taking the breed against the wishes of the majority of Coton owners is the USACTC. How can anyone place the possibility of showing at Westminster above the HEALTH and WELFARE of the breed?

Get familiar with the names that are responsible.

USACTC BREEDERS

These are the people that support the actions of USACTC. Here is a link to their board members

USACTC BOARD MEMBERS

Send them an e-mail and let them know that you support the Coton de Tulear as a rare breed and that the breed is not ready for AKC. Say “No to AKC”!

Thursday, March 22, 2012

The Future of the Coton de Tulear . . . . . .

The Future of the Coton de Tulear is in Peril

The Coton de Tulear needs your help. In 2009, one of the Coton de Tulear breed clubs, the USACTC, decided to seek AKC recognition. They were approved as the AKC Parent Club and hope to move into the miscellaneous class in June 2012. AKC is a show organization that supports puppy mills, dog auctions, and large volume commercial breeders by registering their dogs and litters. It has been proven that an AKC registered dog is not necessarily a purebred dog.

Past history has demonstrated that AKC recognition is synonymous with the deterioration of breed health. We believe the future health of the Coton de Tulear will suffer, and this once healthy breed could end up being riddled with health issues. The USACTC has already written a newly revised breed standard. This minority group, led by a committee of three individuals, has made a drastic, unilateral decision regarding the future appearance of the Coton de Tulear. The new USACTC breed Standard seeks to limit the prevalence of color to a mere 1% of the body. This means that they are attempting to “breed out” the color to produce a purely white dog. As lovers of the Coton de Tulear, you know that color occurs naturally in the breed. Eliminating certain color genes from the Coton de Tulear could be detrimental to the health of the breed, as some of these genes are believed by genetics researchers to control certain functions of the immune system. We believe this is the first step in putting the health of our beloved breed at risk. Please watch the following video which shows what can happen to a breed when attempts are made to change the appearance in order to make them more popular in the show ring.


Can you imagine what is in store for the Coton de Tulear!

Last year the Coton de Tulear community asked for your help in signing a petition against AKC recognition. Now we need your help again. A lawsuit has been successfully filed and served against the USACTC & the American Kennel Club to stop the Coton de Tulear from joining the ranks of the AKC breeds. A group of dedicated Coton de Tulear owners has formed for the sole purpose of preserving and protecting the Coton de Tulear from harm (Advocates for the Coton de Tulear).

The Coton de Tulear needs you. Please help us in our efforts to retain the heritage of this wonderful rare breed. Funds are needed to help defray the costs involved in the lawsuit. You CAN make a difference. Be a part of the future and history of the Coton de Tulear. Stand up and be a voice for your beloved companion. Please send in a contribution, and forward this email to your family and friends. Together we can ALL make a difference!

For more information visit: http://advocatesforthecotondetulear.blogspot.com/

Contributions may be mailed to:
Advocates for the Coton de Tulear
c/o Lisa Vatistas, Treasurer
10926 E. Becker Lane
Scottsdale, AZ 85259

Or you may contribute with your credit/debit card online at:

Any amount is welcome and will be greatly appreciated.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Some of the Latest Auction Statistics

Here are two examples from the latest auction flyers to give you an idea of the magnitude of the puppy mill/puppy auction problem.


Monroe Hochstetler - 210 dogs being auctioned in this kennel closure.

SELLER’S STATEMENT: I have been in the kennel business for many years now. Since the beginning, I have strived for the best quality & confirmation that I can raise or find. I have paid close attention to large litters with little to no genetic faults. I have no knowledge of dogs in my kennel that have had any c-sections. My dogs are well maintained & receive the best of care, I think they will be a great addition to anyone’s kennel program. At this time I am going to pursue another source of income & frankly with puppies being in the shortest supply that I have ever encountered, I can’t think of a better time to sellout. My dogs are in fantastic shape and producing wonderfully. We had over 1000 puppies last year.  I hope you can come, Monroe Hochstetler

K-D Kennel Dogs in this sale: All are AKC & APRI Reg, Pedigrees with Champions on many of the adults & puppies. 226 dogs being auctioned in this kennel closure.  

The Reality of Puppy Mills

Please watch this video to understand the reality of what the so-called "animal rights activists" are trying to prevent.

The Reality of Puppy Mills

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

The Coton de Tulear vs. AKC & High Volume Breeders

Host: Tina Evangelista-Eppenstein

Please tune in Wednesday evening, June 22, at 6:30 PM EST on BCTV (A Close-Up Look at Animal Welfare Issues) when guest Robyn Rosenthal, Secretary for the Advocates for the Coton de Tulear (ACT) and TV host Tina Evangelista continue their discussion of the AKC’s decision to name a Coton de Tulear group as the “parent club” of the breed, thereby seeking AKC recognition of this rare breed. Watch & you will understand why this is a bad decision for this breed or any breed of dog.

Find out why the American Kennel Club is a misnomer at best.

With PA’s dog law ready to go into full effect on July 1st, what will this mean for the dogs in puppy mills that are actually supported by the AKC?

With a new Special Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, Lynn Diehl, replacing Jessie Smith, who has no experience with animals but 32 yrs. of a banking background, what will this mean for PA’s commercial kennels?

Find out the answers to these questions and more on Wednesday evening's show. You can streamline live the show at BCTV.

If you have any questions/comments, please feel free to call in during the live program at 610-378-0426. You can email Tina personally at tevangelistaepp@yahoo.com.

http://www.bctv.org/bctv/see_schedule/

http://readingeagle.com/blog.aspx?bid=74&id=22991&t=BCTV-WEDNESDAY-NIGHT-AKC-VS-THE-COTON

Friday, May 20, 2011

UCARE offers their generous support to "ACT"!

The Advocates for the Coton de Tulear "ACT" received the following letter from UCARE, the independent Coton de Tulear rescue organization. We are overwhelmed with gratitude to Jane Arrington & Jeri McLees for their generosity & support.

When UCARE was formed in 2002 as the only nonprofit corporation committed to the Rescue of this wonderful breed, our articles of incorporation specified that the corporation was organized for the purpose of preventing and abating animal cruelty by rescuing, treating, altering, fostering and rehoming abused, neglected, ill, stray and unwanted Cotons.  Furthermore, UCARE was developed to educate current and prospective pet owners as to the proper care and breeding of dogs to prevent cruelty and allow them to make informed choices of where to obtain a Coton.

Never did we think that to fulfill this charter we would have to take an opposing stance to one of the Coton breed clubs and its goal to have the Coton recognized as an AKC "breed". History has shown that AKC recognition exponentially increases the number of dogs in puppy mills (or “high volume breeder” facilities using the AKC nomenclature) and subjects those dogs to cruel and inhumane treatment. We feel that we have no choice but to assist in preserving the Coton breed as we know it and join in the battle against AKC recognition.

It is with sadness (but pride that others join us in our concerns and our basic goals) that we are making a contribution to the Advocates for the Coton de Tulear (ACT) in the amount of $5,000 in the hopes that it will prod others to join the battle and hopefully assist in winning the war against AKC recognition for the Coton de Tulear. The future of this wonderful breed is at risk if we don't win that war!

Jeri & Jane, UCARE

P.S. If you wish to donate or get more information about ACT's efforts, go to: http://advocatesforthecotondetulear.blogspot.com/

Until there are none, please rescue one.
http://www.cotonrescue.us
UCARE: a 501(c)3 non-profit organization

Friday, April 29, 2011

A Close Up Look at Animal Welfare Issues

Robyn Rosenthal from "ACT", Advocates for the Coton de Tulear, appeared as a featured guest on Tina Evangelista-Eppenstein's TV show "A Close Up Look at Animal Welfare Issues". This show provided an excellent synopsis and discussion about the preservation of the Coton de Tulear and our fight against taking the Coton de Tulear to the AKC. Thank you Robyn for representing our group and our beloved breed so eloquently.
A Close Up Look at Animal Welfare Issues

Friday, April 15, 2011

Tina Evangelista-Eppenstein's Coton de Tulear Update!

A Closer Look at Animal Welfare Issues: Update on the Coton de Tulear & Prop B in Missouri.

A long-time animal advocate, Tina Evangelista-Eppenstein will take on local, national and worldwide issues affecting animals today. Tina will explore puppymills, animal cruelty, the dog fur industry, animal shelter issues, experimental research on animals and so much more. Tina is a local tv talk show host and has been a guest on other tv and radio programs throughout Berks County and beyond. Tina welcomes your comments and questions.

http://readingeagle.com/blog.aspx?bid=74&id=22830&t=UPDATE-ON-THE-COTON-de-TULEAR-AND-THE-AK

USACTC's Chutzpah!

by:

Robert Jay Russell, Ph.D.,

Coton de Tulear Club of America President,


www.cotonclub.org

CotonNews@aol.com

(607) 693-2828

April 14, 2011.

Chutzpah |ˈhoŏtspə; ˈ kh oŏtspə; -spä| (also chutzpa or hutzpah or hutzpa)

noun informal. Shameless audacity; impudence.

ORIGIN late 19th cent.: Yiddish, from Aramaic ḥu ṣpā.

Following the AKC’s rejection of ACTA and its choice of the USACTC for its frontal show organization, the USACTC Board brazenly announced:

“Dear USACTC members, 
Today we were informed by the AKC, that the USACTC has been chosen to
be the Parent Club for AKC. We have attached a copy of the letter.
While we understand many of the challenges that face us in the years to
come, we are pleased that the Coton de Tulear will now have a strong,
single voice to speak for them.
We are in the process of establishing a Code of Ethics for all of our
members and will continue to be strong in ourcommitment to work against
puppy mills and commercial breeders. We hope that as an AKC Parent Club
our voice will be loud and clear on this subject with AKC as well as
with the public.

Many new USACTC committees will be formed in the upcoming months to
work for the benefit of the Coton de Tulear. We hope that you will
consider helping the USACTC protect and work for the breed that we all
love so very much.

Very truly yours,

Ruth Weidrick and

The USACTC Board Members”

Dr. Russell continues:

Hilarious chutzpah on their part to state that the USACTC is now the “strong, single voice”
that speaks for Cotons. Literally thousands more Coton owners and
breeders oppose the USACTC and the AKC than support this move, so they
err tremendously in proclaiming themselves the sole spokespeople for the
breed. The CTCA, now in its 35th year, is vastly larger than their show
club and we predate their appearance on the Coton scene by more than 17
years. Anyone who knows anything about the CTCA knows that we have
never been silent in our support of the breed that we introduced to the
Western world from their homeland of Madagascar in 1974.

If that weren’t a large enough misstatement, Ms. Weidrick goes on to compound her chutzpah by stating that the USACTC will “work against puppy mills and commercial breeders.”

She appears completely unaware that the AKC is the largest registrar of puppy mill dogs in the
world, that it is stated policy of the AKC to promote their “Large Scale
Breeders Program,” that AKC officials attend and help puppy auctions in
the mid-West, and that the AKC supports and endorses the Hunte
Corporation, the largest wholesale distributor of commercially produced
puppies in the world. The AKC management has never, does not now and
obviously will not in the future tolerate any parent club’s challenge to
their revenue sources.

The USACTC no longer has a Coton registry. They have no say over what
dogs the AKC will register as “AKC Cotons de Tulear.” Ms. Weidrick’s
Cotons will join puppy mill bred, pet shop sold Cotons as complete
equals in the exact same AKC registry database. Their Coton in the show
ring will be indistinguishable from an AKC Coton languishing in a pet
shop somewhere. USACTC breeders will produce the same pups as any AKC
Coton breeder will.

We in the CTCA feel very, very sorry for the fate of these dogs. And
we are thankful that none of our Cotons will be in that unenviable
place.

Ms. Weidrick is likely well aware that the mCTCA will remain a
“strong voice” in support of the Madagascar Coton de Tulear breed and
that unlike her AKC-USACTC, we will be able to maintain a registry,
enforce our strict Code of Ethics and health testing for all our
breeders and owners, and of course we’ll continue to “work against puppy
mills and commercial breeders.”

————————————-

copyright 2011 Dr. R. J. Russell & the CTCA

————————————-

Thank you to Dr. Russell for publishing this eZine.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

"The Bond", by Wayne Pacelle (President/CEO of HSUS)


Synopsis on the Barnes & Noble website - "In it final section, The Bond takes on the arguments of opponents and critics of animal protection and spotlights the groups and industries standing in the way of progress - from the National Rifle Association and agribusiness organizations like the American Farm Bureau, to surprising adversaries like the American Veterinary Medical Assocation and the American Kennel Club."

Best in Show (or NOT)?

An ABC investigation into the price that dog breeds pay for attempting to attain perfection & fleeting glory at Westminster. It is our fear that the Coton de Tulear will suffer, as well, in the hands of AKC breeders & handlers. Please watch this enlightening video!
Best in Show

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

A Sad Day for the Coton de Tulear

The USACTC has been named the AKC Parent Club for the Coton de Tulear. They may have received the privilege of calling themselves the Parent Club, but the Coton de Tulear has still not been officially AKC recognized.  There can be no "standing on the fence" any longer. Coton fanciers need to pick a side and they need to either fight FOR the Coton to preserve the integrity and health of the breed, or they fight to SHOW the Coton on the red carpet with AKC for their own selfish glory. There are no in betweens. If you are a member of the USACTC Club, then you are pro-AKC and you support Puppy Mills by association.  Please join us NOW in our continued opposition of  AKC recognition for the Coton de Tulear! We must "ACT" swiftly, and we must unite with the common goal of protecting this wonderful breed from the greedy hands of the AKC.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Saturday, April 9, 2011

USACTC & ACTA seeking AKC recognition for the Coton

The USACTC & ACTA are seeking AKC recognition for the Coton de Tulear. Their members represent a minority voice in the Coton community, as the overwhelming majority of Coton owners & fanciers in the US are vehemently opposed to AKC recognition. "ACT" feels these board members should be accountable for their actions, so please contact them to voice your opposition to AKC recognition.

USACTC Board Members


Responsibility Name Telephone Email
President Ruth Weidrick 859-319-9901 usactcpresident@usactc.org
Vice President Michael Birch 520-731-8004 usactcvp@usactc.org
Membership Secretary J.J. Walker 606-478-8295 usactcmemsecretary@usactc.org
Recording Secretary Rebecca Brown 941-270-1018 usactcrecsecretary@usactc.org
Treasurer Charlotte Cox 281-292-5619 usactctreasurer@usactc.org
Northern Region Rep. Denise Simenauer 269-372-2175 usactcnorthern@usactc.org
Western Region Rep. Jennifer Hermes 909-981-3242 usactcwestern@usactc.org
Central Region Rep. Luis Ortiz 352-241-4557 usactccentral@usactc.org
Eastern Region Rep. Julian Baird 508-255-4063 usactceastern@usactc.org
Southern Region Rep. Brenda Magnon 813-982-0461 usactcsouthern@usactc.org
Past President Barbara Adcock 254-772-7060 usactcpastpresident@usactc.org

Appointed Officers


Responsibility Name Telephone Contact
Championship Point System Carmen Ortiz 352-241-4557 usactcpoints@usactc.org
Website Chairperson Elaine Baird 508-255-4063 usactcweb@usactc.org
Newsletter Editor Nancy Wolinski 000-000-0000 usactcnewsletter@usactc.org
Registrar Juli Renois 817-614-1647 usactcregistrar@usactc.org

ACTA Board


Responsibility Name Telephone Email
President Diane Rinella 949-874-7055 dirinella@me.com
Vice President Marla Gass 425-836-8182 marla589@yahoo.com
Secretary Debra Nemrow 909-240-0575 danemrow@verizon.net
Treasurer Justine Romano 973-541-1111 justine@justincrediblecotons.com
Board of Directors Pamela Heidinger 520-615-9815 Chateauctn@aol.com
Board of Directors Kennette Tabor 757-421-7685 Cottonkist@aol.com
Board of Directors Pat Enright 631-957-1189 Diamnkrest@aol.com
Western Regional Delegate Bev Kohler 360-357-7624 bevkohler@yahoo.com
Eastern Regional Delegate Pam Brown 757-421-3072 pambrown427@gmail.com
Rescue Coordinator Adrianne Dering 770-241-0489 hopecrestcoton@yahoo.com

Friday, April 8, 2011

The Inside "Scoop" on Dog Auctions

The American Kennel Club sends reps to these dog auctions, ready & willing to provide registration forms enabling these dogs to obtain AKC pedigrees! Even mixed/designer breeds are able to obtain AKC papers. Would you like YOUR Coton to have the same AKC papers as those Cotons coming from the puppy mills?
http://video.humanesociety.org/video/629262638001/Channels/729955313001/Puppy-Mills/774154570001/Inside-Dog-Auctions/

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Southwest Auction hosts a breeder seminar

http://www.kennelspotlight.com/SOUTHWEST_AUCTION_HOSTS_BREEDER_SEMINAR.pdf
Please note that the American Kennel Club sent a breeder rep to the seminar to provide educational handouts & even provided door prizes!

North Penn Puppy Mill Watch

ACTION ALERT!
Stop AKC From Exploiting Yet ANOTHER Breed:
Protect the Coton de Tulear!

http://nppmwatch.com/