Membership

  • Basic Membership - $10 a year - For hunters, farmers and the general public. We need your help to do our job and show support to elected officials.
  • Full Membership - $25 a year - For people who hunt or compete with dogs, or raise dogs as a hobby, and who care deeply about the issues we represent.
  • Professional membership - $50 a year - For dog breeders and trainers, kennel owners,  hunting guides and other stakeholders in these issues
  • Sustaining Membership - $100 a year - For people who are truly dedicated to preserving the sporting dog heritage in America, clubs and groups
  • Donations are welcomed in any amount. The simple truth is that it will take money to win this fight.

To Join

Please send contact information and a check or money order for your dues to:

John Yates, Director

The American Sporting Dog Alliance

1269 Eaglerock Road

Oil City, PA 16301

We also accept credit cards or echecks:

Our Goals

The American Sporting Dog Alliance takes a fivefold approach to accomplishing our common goals:

 

1.                  We bring people together. We want to form alliances in all 50 states, assist local and statewide groups, and to develop strategies for people to work together effectively. This includes finding people with special skills that are needed by the sporting dog community, developing legislative contacts who support us, being able to take coordinated action when required, and offering mutual support when problems arise.

 

2.                  We strive to educate the general public about the good things in our relationship with our dogs and the stewardship of the land that have been the hallmark of the sporting dog community. Our traditions represent the best in American culture, be it in the form of hunting, competition, breeding better dogs, increasing our knowledge and understanding, nurturing the land, and forming the kind of special friendship and camaraderie that truly is special to us. Part of our role in educating the public also is to counter the falsehoods and half-truths that are being propagated by anti-hunting and animal rights groups, and also to inform people about the long-term goals and complete agendas of these groups. We also must counter the belief that making a profit from animals is somehow wrong or exploitative. In fact, for most of us, making a living from animals means that we are doing what we love to do, and also that we care deeply about our animals and truly value their companionship. Our most potent weapon is the truth.

 

3.                  We take a proactive role whenever possible, educating lawmakers and government officials before they face the heat of open political debate on a controversial proposal. This means making contacts, educating, developing relationships, expressing our thanks, and working together to solve any problems that arrive.

 

4.                  We also must be prepared to fight for our very survival when we are attacked by special interest groups, such as animal rights and anti-hunting groups, or when laws and governmental management changes are proposed that unfairly impact sporting dog owners, our sport and our traditions. As with all things, the truth is the strongest weapon. We must aggressively confront the illogical and unsound arguments that are used to limit or prohibit traditional human relationships with dogs and other animals. We must be willing and able to use the political process to our advantage, and to take our case before the courts when this becomes necessary. We must reject the appearance of a compromise, because we are not offered a compromise. A compromise is when two parties agree to give up something, in order to mutually get something they both want. What we are being asked to accept is surrender. We are being asked to give up parts of our lives and traditions, so that anti-hunting and animal rights groups can get something that they don’t have to begin with. Everything we give up is a loss for us, and a gain for our opponents. There is no compromise involved. We give everything, and they get all or part of what they want. It is like someone pointing a gun at your head and saying he wants your money and your life, and then offering a “compromise” saying that you can live as long as he gets your money.

 

5.                  We also must work hard to repeal laws and policies that already are in place, when it can be shown that they present an unfair burden or an unfair limitation on the rights of sporting dog owners. This involves many things, including working with lawmakers to repeal unfair laws, informing lawmakers when public agencies do not follow the law in their policies, demanding an investigation when violations of the law or policy are found, and going to court when necessary.