As you are reading this issue of the FCI Newsletter, the summer dog-show season is at its peak. The biggest event - a feast for all eager exhibitors – of this year was the FCI World Dog Show 2012 in Salzburg, Austria.
I would like to congratulate the Austrian kennel Club (ÖKV) and everybody who contributed to this outstanding canine event.

This issue contains a report and evaluation of this show. I would like to point out that unfortunately, abandoned dogs in closed vehicles at shows are a remaining issue. The speakers continually encouraged people to come to their vehicles and take their dogs out, even announcing particular license plate numbers of these vehicles, asking the owners to release their dogs immediately from the heat. Despite the joint effort of the police and paramedics, there was one dog who, sadly, didn‘t make it.Unfortunately, this has been a recurring scenario, even at the most prestigous shows. I am asking everybody to keep an eye on this problem and to look for ways to deal with it. Dogs hardly deserve to be treated like that.

Read more

Stefan Stefik
FCI Treasurer
Main facts about the Austrian Kennel Club and its library

ÖKV key figures

  • founded in 1909, situated south of Vienna in Biedermannsdorf
  • founding member of FCI
  • about 60,000 associated members
  • 100 breeding & training clubs
  • cooperation with European Dog Museum in Klostermarienberg

ÖKV major targets
breeding, keeping, training & examination of dogs
organisor of +/-10 international dog shows per year

ÖKV staff & department info

  • number employees at head office: 7
  • stud book
  • shows
  • judges
  • working dogs
  • public relations
  • club magazine „Unsere Hunde“
  • finance
  • academy & library (includes the Fleig Collection)

ÖKV mission statements

  • ÖKV is not related with any political party or religion
  • major focus is to protect all interests concerning cynological topics
  • ÖKV is active (based on legal regulations) in all areas dealing with breeding, keeping, training & examination of dogs as well as hunt, animal protection and road traffic regulations
  • ÖKV’s major intention is to achieve optimal conditions in matters related to human-canine relationship

ÖKV streched targets

  • national leadership in canine matters
  • coordinated, self-contained appearance of all ÖKV
  • members in the public
  • improvement of dog keeping acceptance, reduction and avoidance of hostility towards dogs
  • improvement & expansion of contact with political parties & decision makers
  • ÖKV’s intention is to act as competent cynological partner
  • permanent, positive work within worldwide and European cynological boards, such as FCI General Assembly, FCI Commissions and FCI European Section
Dr. Katja Wolf

Library
There are about 7,000 books in the library, going back to the early 19th century.
Topics: breeding, history of clubs & breeds, stud books.
A major part is the “Fleig collection”, named after Dr. Dieter Fleig, founder of the Kynos trust. The Fleig collection is part of the library as a loan of indeterminate duration.
The library itself was founded by the famous Austrian cynologist Dr. Emil Hauck, in the late 30ies of the last century.
Most of the old books have been given to the Kennel Klub by donators; some have been bought during the years.
The new books are selected according to our partners – bookshops and publishing companies.
We do not have special staff for the library; as it is a reference library, you just have to announce your visit and you will have the possibility to come around.
Older books are not allowed to be copied, for preservation reasons.
Most of the visitors are interested in club history or come because of a breed club’s jubilee.

We also show the smaller sculptures of the Fleig collection. Bigger ones we have in Klostermarienberg.
Most of the works have sentimental value.

Katja Wolf,
ÖKV Public Relations