DogWellNet Digest: Issue #48 - 28 July 2022

News & Highlights

IPFD News

• Dr. Brenda N. Bonnett Announces Retirement from IPFD:
  Ever since Dr. Brenda Bonnett proposed the development of a canine health and welfare information network in 2011, she has been the driving force behind the IPFD and DogWellNet.com.

  As IPFD’s first Chief Executive Officer, Brenda was responsible for the development and operation of the IPFD including its technical infrastructure, partnership building, programs and projects, and more. She stepped down from the CEO role on 31 October, 2021 and continued to share her expertise with the international dog community as IPFD’s Veterinary Science Officer until July 2022. The wealth of information that Brenda and IPFD the team created during her tenure remain on DogWellNet.com as an enduring resource to support the health and welfare of dogs.

  Formerly tenured faculty at the Ontario Veterinary College, Brenda is a veterinarian and Consulting Epidemiologist. Her research and projects in Europe and North America have included the development of national and international programs with kennel clubs; extensive work with / publications on animal insurance data; human-animal interactions, numerous pet welfare initiatives spanning the National Council on Pet Overpopulation (1993) and for the American Humane Association: Cat Welfare Forum (Sept. 2013) and Keeping Pets (Dogs and Cats) in Homes: A Three-Phase Retention Study. As Lead Scientist at Morris Animal Foundation (2010) she assisted in development of the (now titled) Golden Retriever Lifetime Study.

  Brenda played a major role in organizing and presenting the first four IPFD International Dog Health Workshops (IDHWs) and subsequent virtual IDHW sessions on canine genetics. She has also been a frequent speaker on topics of animal health, welfare, and human-animal interactions at scientific meetings, as well as to many stakeholders in the dog world (i.e., breed and kennel clubs, judges, and veterinarians). Most recently, Brenda made virtual presentations at the April 2022 Embark Canine Health Summit and the July 2022 Symposium on Healthy Dog Breeding (presented in collaboration with the Canadian Kennel Club and Canadian Veterinary Medical Association).

  We are hopeful Brenda will have many opportunities to continue supporting the health and welfare of animals with her extensive knowledge and experience. We invite our members to leave their best wishes for Brenda in the comments area below (login required) or through her IPFD email account, which will remain active in the near term.

  On behalf of IPFD’s Board, Consultants, and Partners, we thank Brenda for her tireless efforts in the creation of IPFD and for her immense contributions in advancing dog health, well-being, and welfare.

• We're delighted to announce that the Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG) has signed on as an IPFD Collaborating Partner. The BWG comprises leading UK dog welfare organisations, veterinary organisations, universities, breed clubs, The Kennel Club, and government. BWG aims to improve the health and welfare of brachycephalic (flat faced) dogs by working collaboratively as a multi-stakeholder group to reduce the negative impacts from conformation-related health issues on individual dogs as well as also curbing the current trend towards rising demand for dogs with brachycephaly.

• IPFD and the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC), in collaboration with the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), presented the Interactive Symposium on Healthy Dog Breeding: Collective Approaches for the Future on Tuesday, July 12. The online event addressed the challenges, responsibilities, and opportunities related to the health and welfare of dogs with extreme conformation, from the perspective of the breeder, show judge and veterinary community, in addition to the pet industry. IPFD Veterinary Science Officer Dr. Brenda Bonnett was among the distinguished panel of experts on the issue.

Articles

• A new article, Legislation directed at regulating breeding of brachycephalic breeds and purebred dogs, offers links to articles and blogs on DogWellNet which elaborate upon breed-specific, country-specific breeding regulation of brachycephalic and potentially other purebred dog breeds. This article will be updated as more information becomes available. We welcome thoughtful input from other country's stakeholders as to regulatory actions related to the brachy breeds, purebreds, and all dogs.

Blogs

• In her blog post, Parameters in Canines After Cesarean Sections - Research Germany, IPFD Board Member Dr. Barbara Thiel examines a recently published study by the University of Giessen comparing fertility after a caesarean section with that after a natural birth.

Breeds Resources

Breed of the Month

★ This Month We Feature the Dalmatian ★