Questions still remain unanswered as the Irish Wolfhound Health Group issued a statement to their Breed Members!
Although the identity of the person who posted on Facebook last night is still open to debate, the whole episode brought two issues back into conversation.
Firstly my situation with the Irish Wolfhound Club, which has yet to be correctly addressed by the Club, despite being directed by the Kennel Club to review and revise the situation, is still on going. So, yes, the question is still to be answered, am I in the Gang or out of the Gang? It is my belief that if the Club has not followed procedures (ignoring for a minute their initial letter, which was poorly worded and without foundation) if the rules have not been followed which clearly they haven't, I am of the opinion I am still a member of the IWC. Although the IWC had a meeting over a week ago, my letter could well be in the post, (only been waiting for a response since July)?
Secondly, and most tragically of all, it has brought into question as to whether all breeders are heart testing, not just the once, but everyone annually, despite it being a rule of the Irish Wolfhound Club:
Rule 20. Agree that all hounds used for breeding take part annually in a heart testing scheme approved by The Irish Wolfhound Club: the minimum requirement being examination by stethoscope, ECG and Ultrasound Scan.
Anyway, despite rules and regulations, where perhaps some will only get a rap on the knuckles for disobeying them, whereas others are severely penalised for committing no offence whatsoever, what about the situation some are creating or have created regarding the health of our hounds. There is no excuse not to heart test our hounds these days as the Irish Wolfhound Health Group have been extremely pro active in making testing readily available to all, but this scheme will only be successful if everyone continues to heart test, and more importantly re-test, and breeders should be leading the way in this. No matter who or where that heart testing is carried out, it is still our firm belief that all heart testing results should be publicised and this was indeed the unanimous decision at the health seminar last year.
So thank you, whoever you are, for raising these issues again, it’s our hounds that matter and not the lip service we are seeing. Actions speak louder than words, heart test your hounds, re-test your hounds, if you want to be in our club!