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Immediately after Hurricane
Sandy, The New Jersey Federation of Dog Clubs began to
assess how we could assist those affected by this
horrible disaster. After speaking to as many Board
members as possible, we first reached out
to the AKC to see if we could coordinate anything with
them. We then reached out to the AKC Delegate list
and asked how other Kennel Clubs or Organizations
dealt with such events. Armed with knowledge shared
with us, the NJFDC began a selection process of
shelters we could assist. While we did that, we began
our fund-raising efforts.
We received permission to set up a Hurricane
Sandy Relief Fund at the Back Mountain Kennel Club
shows this past weekend and raised over five hundred
dollars from exhibitors and guest. We then
applied for assistance
through the AKC Humane Fund called the "Sandy Fund".
We have received
notification we have been approved. This Fund was set
up to assist clubs and organizations like us to assist
pets and their owner in the wake of this
disastrous hurricane.
The NJFDC is also working on a campaign
with local politicians to encourage donations to local
shelters. We are trying to get local politicians to
encourage donations to their districts shelters and
without saying, avoid donations to large corporate
organizations. We know they will not use the majority
of the funds to help the animals in need, but for
other things. We feel that AKC and their affiliates
will do a much better job of distributing funds and
truly assisting those in need.
The NJFDC is targeting shelters
throughout the state. One of our priorities is a
non-profit organization in Jackson, New Jersey. The
facility is SEERS Farms. They were first established
to assist abused women. They found women would not
leave abusive relations because protective shelters
would not always accept their pets. SEERS goals are
to accept all pets with the goal of returning them
once the owner is in a better position. They next
extended that to military personnel on active duty.
They have continued to expand their efforts and dealt
with foreclosures and now disaster relief. They are
in the process of setting up temporary shelters and we
are working with them to find foster homes. Again,
the goal of this organization is the reuniting the
person or family with their family pet as soon as
possible.
How you and or your club can assist is
by making a monetary
donation to the New Jersey Federation of Dog Clubs (NJFDC)
and marking on it "Sandy Relief Fund" You can mail
them to me, Jeffrey D. Ball, 11 Pershing Avenue,
Ridgewood, New Jersey, 07450. You may also call or
email me if you have any questions,
jeffbetsyball@yahoo.com or 201-689-1323. Any
assistance you can give us will allow us to better
assist shelters and facilities like these. We plan to
do this for all parts of the state since we are a
State Federation. Thank you in advance for any
assistance you can give.
Respectfully,
Jeffrey David Ball
President
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