Welcome to the Collie Health Foundation

Health Issues

Your Collie’s personal vet is his best friend to protect his health. The Foundation cares deeply about your Collie’s health, please refer to our Collie Health 101 section to
Learn More!

Announcements

How many beautiful puppies have you placed due to Colobomas?
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The current research for a genetic marker for colobomas is in full swing!
Find out more!

Events

The Gathering at Sunnybank is approaching! Join us for a two day celebration of collies and Terhune’s legacy.
More information here!

The Gathering At Sunnybank

August 19 – 20, 2023
A Sunnybank Jubilee

Schedule of Events

Pre-Sale Tee Shirts
Banquet Reservations
Memorial Cards

Sunnybank Gathering

HI, I’M DAVID

A Book By Katrina Warsick

We Are Dedicated To The Rough & Smooth Collie Breed!

Sable Collie herding ducks.
Photo of smooth sable collie running thru the agility tunnel.
Photo of tri rough collie catching a Frisbee.
Photo of Collie jumping up into an apple tree.
Photo of Collie riding on a surf board in the ocean waves.

In 1986 the members of 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 that could be awarded in the form of grants 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 (DMS) and Grey Collie Syndrome (CN), 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, Cancer, eye diseases (most notably PRA), Dermatomyositis and many other health related problems. The very important message of the Foundation is “funding research” and “education.”

The Collie Health Foundation’s mission is to fund research medical projects that will benefit the future health of the Collie, and to educate the public and Collie breeders about health issues.

  • To foster and promote the public’s knowledge and appreciation of dogs in general and collies in particular;
  • To further understanding of the diseases, defects, injuries and other ailments that afflict dogs in general and collies in particular;
  • To support and promote the study of and research on the history, character, varieties, breeding genetics and particular health problems of collies;
  • To establish a national data base of resource materials about collies;
  • To produce, publish & distribute to the general public educational materials about the proper care, treatment, breeding, health, development & training of collies

We are an “IRS 501(c)3 non-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.

On December 17, 2002 the organization changed it’s name from the Collie Club of America Foundation to the Collie Health Foundation in order to give the Foundation a unique identity separate from the Collie Club of America and more clearly represent our mission.

Our new logo was generously donated by Diana Hiesilieu. There is a story behind this new logo, a story about a Collie we bred and had the extreme privilege of knowing – A Collie by the name of Noah…Read More!

The Gathering is the best known of the Foundation-sponsored events.  This annual event began in 1997 as a small get-together for Foundation business, and has grown to become a highly anticipated summer ritual. The Gathering is held annually on the third weekend in August at the “mecca” of Colliedom, Sunnybank, in Wayne, New Jersey. Sunnybank, the home of Albert Payson Terhune, renowned dog writer, Collie breeder, and owner, and served as the setting for many of his famous dog stories.

This video is a tribute to Sunnybank the home of Albert Payson Terhune and his wife Anice.