VFDCB

Founded over 40 years ago, the Virginia Federation of Dog Clubs and Breeders is one of the oldest dog club federations in the country. The objectives established in the late 1970s – to share information and monitor state and federal legislation – are even more critical today, and the VFDCB has risen to the challenges of the times. The Federation now includes nearly every all-breed club in Virginia and many breed and performance clubs as well. It also offers individual memberships to fanciers not associated with clubs or those who want to support the Federation personally as well as through their clubs. The Federation is governed by officers and board members elected from the membership.

Each club appoints a delegate to attend meetings and report back to the membership. Delegates also receive legislative alerts and news from the VFDCB email group, which they distribute to their own club members. Over the decades, the Federation has necessarily shifted focus to meet the changing needs of the dog fancy, but the underlying premise remains the same: to advance the best interests of purebred dogs through legislative efforts, information and education, and disaster relief.

Legislation:

The VFDCB is represented in Richmond every year during the General Assembly session and provides regular updates to members on the proceedings. The legislative committee, with guidance from the board of governors, determines positions on bills affecting Virginia's dogs and their owners and presents those views to Assembly members. The focus is on educating legislators about purebred dogs and responsible breeding.

Information and Education:

The VFDCB Dog Show Calendar has earned a place in thousands of exhibitors' homes with its comprehensive listings of AKC breed shows, obedience trials, and other events throughout the United States. The Purebred Dog Breeders and Match Show Directory is published every other year and lists hundreds of breeder members as well as contact information for breed parent clubs and rescues. The Federation also provides educational pamphlets, including a free guide on how to buy a purebred puppy.

The VFDCB sponsors workshops and seminars for breeders and actively supports the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech. VFDCB has donated more than $120,000 to equip the trauma and intensive care units and the ophthalmology lab. More than $84,000 has gone to annual scholarships for veterinary and veterinary technician students at the vet school, Blue Ridge Community College, and the Community College of Northern Virginia.

When disasters strike that leave dogs in peril, the Federation donates to various groups in those areas. Members sent aid to Florida following Hurricane Andrew, to the Gulf states during Katrina, and to clubs in the Midwest to help with animal rescue after devastating floods.

The Virginia Federation of Dog Clubs and Breeders works every day to protect the rights of Virginia breeders and the welfare of Virginia's dogs.