Frequently Asked Questions about the Foundation

Why does the Kerry Blue Terrier Foundation exist?

The Foundation exists to protect the interest of Kerries and their owners. The goals of the Foundation are spelled out in detail in our Mission Statement. The Foundation accomplishes its mission by (1) providing free information through its web site and newslist, (2) helping rescue dogs abandoned by owners or breeders, and (3) preventing future genetic problems by providing funds for health & genetic research.

	Are donations to the Foundation Tax Deductible?
	Yes. The Kerry Blue Terrier Foundation is a nonprofit public benefit corporation, funded solely by tax-deductible donations under Section 501(c)(3) of the US Internal Revenue Code. Our IRS Determination Letter is available for inspection. Donations to the Foundation are not deductible in other countries.

How are donors assured that funds will be spent wisely?

The Foundation employs the services of a CPA who makes sure that the Foundation complies with the stringent IRS requirements regarding the use of funds to keep our tax-free status. The president of the Foundation has an MBA and is a Certified Corporate Cash Manager. He was a contributing editor for the Journal of Cash Management and has managed millions of dollars for national corporations. He is a successful entrepreneur and real estate developer. The Foundation accounting records are open for inspection and are audited by an independent auditor. A substantial portion of the Health & Genetics funds have been deposited with the Canine Health Foundation of the AKC for safekeeping. The Foundation has no members, only a Board of Directors who are not compensated. All funds are utilized to carry out the mission of the Foundation. All expenditures are reviewed by the Board.

Will the Kerry Blue Foundation exist into perpetuity?

Everything has been done to make this possible. The KBT Foundation is a public benefit corporation--a legal entity that has no expiration. The Board of Directors is staggered so that every year 1/5 of the Board is new, and 4/5 has experience running the Foundation. This provides continuity in management and ensures smooth operation into the future. The Foundation is well funded and keeps financial reserves for contingencies.

Who is on the Kerry Blue Terrier Foundation Board?

Board members are selected for five-year staggered terms. All are volunteers and are not compensated. The current Board members are: John Van den Bergh, MBA, CCM: Has run several successful corporations since 1979. He provides the management expertise and assures that the structure of the organization performs as needed. Janet Joers, Professional writer and editor: Has many years experience in rescuing Kerries. She works full-time for the Foundation as a volunteer. Janice Gessner, is a long time Kerry breeder and a Board member of the Canadian KBT Club. She has a masters degree in Educational Administration. Dr. W. Jean Dodds, DVM, is an international authority on blood and thyroid disorders in dogs. She is very familiar with the genetic problems of the breed, and will be invaluable in helping to select the most appropriate use of our H&G funds. Tracey Fulmer, has an MBA in marketing and half a decade experience in rescueing dogs.

	Is the Kerry Blue Terrier Foundation recognized by the AKC?
	No, the Foundation is not involved in the issues related to the registration of purebred dogs. However, the Foundation has a direct relationship with the Canine Health Foundation (CHF), a nonprofit subsidiary of the AKC. Foundation funds earmarked for Health & Genetics are periodically deposited with the CHF for future funding of breed-specific studies. The current balance is about $5,000.

	How are Health & Genetic projects selected?
	The funding of Health & Genetics projects will be decided between the AKC's Canine Health Foundation and the KBT Foundation. Daryl Enstone and Dr. W. Jean Dodds are two Board members have been instrumental in selecting appropriate projects to fund. The selection of the projects will also be discussed in public on the KB-L newslist.

How does the Foundation work with breeders?

The Foundation values and supports Kerry breeders by providing the following free services: Breeder Directory listing Litter listings Stud listings Placement documents: Adoption Questionnaire and Contract (Foundation documents have been used by several national dog breed clubs and are recognized as some of the best documents available.) Assistance with screening and home checks. Rescuing and returning Kerries to responsible breeders when the breeder is known. Breeding information on the web site. The Foundation is currently developing other pertinent materials for the benefit of the breeders.

Does the Foundation return rescue dogs to the breeders?

Yes. The Foundation returns rescue dogs to breeders, if they are willing to accept them. However, there are circumstances where returning a rescue dog to a breeder is not possible, or in the best interest of the Kerry. The Foundation cannot return a dog it doesn't have in its possession. Many owners decline to release their dogs to Rescue, preferring instead to place or sell the dogs themselves. Under those circumstances, the Foundation often assists these owners in placing the Kerry in a suitable home. Some owners choose not to contact the breeders themselves, and request that we not do so either. We respect the owners wishes. A surprising number of owners don't even know who their dog's breeder is, usually in cases where the dog is older. Many owners lost the registration papers years ago, and can't remember the dog's kennel prefix or even the town the dog came from. Some owners did not acquire their Kerries from breeders. They got them from the dog's previous owner, who may have gotten the dog from yet another previous owner, and so on. Tracking all these former owners may prove impossible. The breeder of a dog retrieved from a shelter can almost never be identified. Shelters don't release the names of the former owners, and generally never know the breeding of a dog--and if they did, they would not release that information. The breeder of a dog may not be identified until after it is rescued and in foster care, as in the case of owners who have died or been moved to nursing homes. Immediate identification is not always possible. It is the Foundation's policy to honor and respect the rights of responsible breeders by returning Rescue dogs to them (1) when those breeders are identified, (2) when the owner has agreed, and (3) when the dog is in our possession. Among other things, responsible breeders should carefully screen their puppy buyers, sell with written contracts, stay in touch with the buyers, and take back dogs of their breeding. The Foundation also honors and respects responsible owners, their legal property rights, and their privacy, and it puts the dog's interests first. It does not honor nor respect irresponsible breeders--such as those holding USDA licenses to mass-produce puppies, those who operate puppy mills or sell to them, those who sell to distributors/brokers or pet stores, or those who have an established history of refusing to take back dogs of their breeding.

How does the KBT Foundation work with breed clubs?

Because a dialog with the breed clubs may be beneficial to the breed, the Foundation continues to remain open to joint projects with breed clubs such as pamphlet publication, cooperative advertising, and fundraising. The USKBTC has not been open or cooperative on any issues relating to the Foundation. In fact, the USKBTC has shown open hostility towards the work of the Foundation. However, many club members, as individuals, have been working closely with the Foundation to help Kerrries in need. Some of these cooperative club members have been scolded by the club for working with the Foundation. The Foundation continues to hope for cooperation with the USKBTC and other local clubs on issues of common concern.

How is the KB-L Newslist moderated?

The KB-L Newslist has specific rules governing membership and the posting of messages on the list. The KB-L list rules are not unique and are fairly uniformly applied in many professional newslists around the world. While the published rules are quite detailed, they are all common sense: no personal attacks or attacks on the Foundation, only messages related to Kerries, no commercial posts, and no obscene language. As with most special interest lists, a moderator oversees the newslist. In the case of KB-L, except for the first message, messages are NOT reviewed by the moderator before they are posted. When a subscriber violates the published rules, the moderator has several options. He may require that that person submit her posts to the moderator before they are posted for all to see ("on review"). Or, in severe cases, he may ban the subscriber from the list or even petition Lsoft to ban her/him from ALL listserv lists. A KB-L subscription is a privilege, not a right.

To who is the Foundation accountable?

The Foundation can only exist with the support of the Kerry community. Everyone can be a donor, yet without you--the Kerry community--the Foundation cannot exist. Therefore, the Foundation is accountable to the Kerry community. Breeder clubs, on the other hand, are accountable to their dues-paying members, and hence will defend and protect their members and put breeder "rights" first, as opposed to defending and protecting Kerries and their responsible owners. The Foundation always puts the dogs' interest first.

Other questions? Contact John Van den Bergh, President.

Last Update: 09/06/06, 09:53:45  Terms of Use and Disclaimer.