Congratulations to Gale Golden, Legislative Chair, and members of the Ladies Dog Club, Inc. (LDC), winners of the Walter Bebout Memorial Award for Leadership in Canine Legislation. The Award was presented to LDC by Stacey Ober, American Kennel Club Government Relation’s, New England Regional Manager, and accepted by Ms. Golden at the club's annual meeting in September. 

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Over the past six years, Golden has made significant contributions influencing Massachusetts canine legislation. In preparation for the 2023-2024 legislative session, she collaborated with her lawmaker, Representative Danielle Gregoire, in filing dog daycare facility oversight legislation as an alternative solution to the problematic kennel licensing re-filed bill known as “Ollie’s Law,”. By escorting Representative Gregoire around the 2023 Ladies Dog Club conformation show, Ms. Golden ensured that the bill sponsor would have a depth of knowledge about breeders and their personal kennels. In September 2023, Ms. Golden testified at a public hearing to detail how dog day care facilities could be regulated without hamstringing breeders and their personal kennels. Her subsequent participation on a  committee of stakeholders was instrumental in convincing the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government to remove the anti-breeder provisions in Ollie’s Law before favorably releasing a re-drafted bill. The legislation has advanced this session without AKC’s concerns for negative consequences.

 

As Legislative Chair for the Ladies Dog Club, Ms. Golden’s advocacy has also resulted in successful grassroots mobilization when needed. She routinely updates the club and her broad network with what is happening and how they can assist in shaping both positive and negative policy proposals.

 

Ms. Golden also serves as the program coordinator for the Tufts AKC Whelping Program Selective at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. New England dog breeders have experienced a growing scarcity of canine reproduction veterinary specialists for a long while. A vision for solving the problem was initiated by Gale Golden in talks with the Tufts Dean and AKC. The new for-credit program known as a “selective” became a reality in the 2022 Fall semester. Ms. Golden performs outreach and coordination of AKC breeder mentors’ participation to ensure enrolled students are provided quality learning experiences while also consistently serving as a breeder mentor. Whelping healthy litters and interest in canine reproduction is becoming so popular that ten second year students have enrolled for the 2024 Fall semester.

 

AKC is grateful for the outstanding dedication that Ms. Golden and other members of LDC have demonstrated in protecting the future of purebred dogs in Massachusetts.

 

About the Bebout Award:

The Walter Bebout award for Legislative Leadership recognizes individuals and organizations that have demonstrated leadership in educating legislators about responsible dog ownership issues, and have worked to preserve the rights of responsible dog owners and breeders. Winners of the Bebout award receive a $1,000 donation to help offset their organization’s costs associated with their legislative efforts.

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