Dear readers,

2011 has just come to an end; it’s now time for statistics and assessments of all kinds. Allow me to dwell upon the special attention the FCI pays to its national canine organisations as well as to breeders, exhibitors and other sports competition enthusiasts (hunting, utility, Sighthounds races, etc.).

Needless to say these figures show that the cynological world remains intensely active within the FCI member countries despite the tough and sullen times our economic and social spheres are having these days.

First cheering result: in 2011, the number of CACIB shows has reached as much as 870, compared to 821 two years ago.

Read more

Y. De Clercq
FCI Executive Director

Hungarian Kennel Club : Initiative

Animal welfare and protection is a current global issue of societies, not only for NGOs devoted to the topic, but for us, kennel clubs as well.

In Hungary we proudly present a brand new initiative. This organisation, named with a strange word for a foreigner, ‘Állatvédőrség’ (a pun with the Hungarian words for ‘animal protection’ and ‘guard’) started a real intensive act about exploring animal cruelty and organising police education.

Their work started this February when the Treaty with the National Police Headquarters was signed to cooperate with a view to take action against animal cruelty and to train the administrative and operative staff how to handle animal cruelty.

In April the Hungarian Kennel Club signed the contract as well to help the work of the institution.

During this less than a year, the activists of ‘Állatvédőrség’ have achieved great success and are still working hard on many issues, for example on the launch of their complex webpage in Hungarian first, then in foreign languages.

Some days ago they carried out a brand new operation : they issued a calendar for the year 2012-2013.

It is not big news and not a surprising event to do so, but the way they did it, definitely is!

They grabbed a real effective and professional way to highlight animal cruelty. Instead of showing cute animals or tortured bodies, they made something more incredible.

© Állatvédőrség

Hungarian celebrities posed for all the pages of the calendar. The concept of the photos is to show different emotional states related to different kinds of animal cruelty ; the animals are represented by the models. The simple, but emotionally much stronger, black and white pictures of Tibor Kasza make the experience very realistic, in an artistic way though ; you can easily put yourself in the place of the abused ones, illustrated in a way that touches you very deep inside.

The calendar is currently issued in a limited number, together with a special addition with the autograph of the models. But as to the part of our partnership, it is already planned that the Hungarian Kennel Club will have some issues available on the WDS2013 stand that will circulate in the bigger shows in Europe this year, helping the work of Állatvédőrség and giving something special to anyone who cares for animal welfare and artistic experience. If you need your copy, just drop me a line.

© Állatvédőrség

Attila Márton
Executive Manager
Hungarian Kennel Club