Purpose & Goals of the Collie Health Foundation

Education

  • Promote appreciation and knowledge of dogs in general and Collies in particular.
  • To further understanding of the diseases, defects, injuries, and other ailments that afflict dogs in general & Collies in particular.
  • To sponsor medical research on health problems, genetics, breeding and history.

Research

  • Establish a national data base of resource materials about Collies.
  • To sponsor medical research on health problems, genetics, breeding and history.

Publish and Distribute Educational Materials on

  • Care
  • Treatment
  • Breeding
  • Development
  • Training

In order to meet these objectives, every year the Foundation awards financial Grants to selected individuals and organizations. Periodic reports of these research projects, are published in the newsletter.. In its ongoing pursuit of providing the Collie fancy with important educational and research tools, the Foundation has sponsored book projects, such as "The Collective Writings of Bobbee Roos." We also sponsored the two book by Kristina Marshall, "His Dogs" and "The Lost Stories of Albert Payson Terhune." Other health and educational materials are also occasionally made available to the Foundation membership. Our most recent project is a comprehensive Health Survey, which hopefully will give us an understanding of the current status of the breed's health. This will provide an ongoing aid in determining our Collie health priorities when seeking Grant funding.

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Collie Health Foundation Origins

In 1986 the Collie Club Of America established the Collie Club Of America Foundation, Inc. The concept for this organization was conceived by the late R.L. Rickenbaugh, a longtime breeder, along with his wife Hilda, of the Bannerblu Collies. With the Collie Club of America's assistance and cooperation, the reality of the organization was set into motion. The benefits would be two-fold. Not only would it provide tax deductions for potential donors, but it would result in additional income to the club, for some very worthwhile causes. Previously, the Collie Club of America was only able to give limited support for collie medical research and related activities. Health problems, such as Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA), Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA), Bloat, Epilepsy, skin problems, Dermatomyositis (DM) and Grey Collie Syndrome, that can affect the collie breed, need significant funding if they are ever to be conquered. Thus, the Foundation was born, with the primary function of addressing the breed's major health problems. Its main purpose is to issue grants to worthwhile organizations for research in breeding, genetics and health issues of all dogs, with the primary emphasis on Veterinary research as it relates directly to the Collie. So far the Foundation has given grants to the following areas of research: Bloat, Grey Collie, Epilepsy, eye diseases (most notably PRA), DM and many other health related problems. The very important message of the Foundation is "funding research" and "education." It is a "not-for-profit" corporation that receives its funds through membership donations, fund raising activities and other contributions such as $1 from every CCA member's dues. The larger the Foundation's membership becomes, the more generous its grants for research can be. In essence, the Foundation has filled a large void, as prior to its establishment, the club's commitment to medical research was very limited. Many other breed clubs, including the American Kennel Club, have followed suit and established their own Health Foundations (AKCCHF), using the CHF as the role model. The Collie Club of America was and is a leader in this area.