Formal Objection to the removal of Kathy Davieds, DVM as DPCA Health Education Chair

OBJECTION TO REMOVAL OF DPCA HEALTH EDUCATION CHAIR, KATHY DAVIEDS, DVM:

Since mid-March of this year the DPCA Board of Directors has seen fit to remove and/or cause the resignations of a number of volunteers who have served our club competently, professionally and selflessly for years.

Under the guise of "streamlining committees", the current Board has cast aside at least a dozen individuals whose experience, reliability and dedication have benefitted DPCA and Dobermans in critical ways that are difficult, if not impossible to measure.  

Our expert Show Committee and Show Site Selection Committee members - Ellen Hanley, Linda Ballon, Judy Brown and Robin Kelly were among the first to go.  They were soon joined by Carmen Pitts, Cheryl Green and Carol Moore - the entire Nominating Committee appointed by a unanimous vote of the Board back in October.  Also lost were Legislative Director Marylyn DeGregorio arguably one of our best ever, and Public Education Chair Bonnie Bailey who flew to Pomona from her home on the East Coast, at her own expense last October, to outline committee plans for the coming year. 

The one common denominator in the removal of these excellent volunteers had nothing to do with the quality of their work, their experience or their obvious dedication to DPCA. Rather, the thread binding them together was disagreeing with any member of the present Board of Directors but most especially, the President, who deems alternate opinions and ideas as "insubordination" and "divergent".

The removal of these valuable volunteers was egregious to the well-being of this club. On the heels of these great losses comes the Board's June 3, 2014 abrupt termination of Kathy Davieds, DVM as Health Education Chair after a decade of exemplary service to our club, our members and their Dobermans.  Notice of Dr. Davieds' removal was delivered by email message from the President, copied below in its entirety:

Dear Ms. Davieds,

I would like to thank you for your years of service to this club.

We appreciate your willingness to volunteer.  However, your direction and that of the majority of the Board are divergent of late.

Having said that, the board followed our Bylaw and by a majority vote of the board we have terminated you as Chair of the Health Education Committee:

ARTICLE V: Committees

SECTION 2. Any committee appointment may be terminated by a majority vote of the full membership of the Board upon written notice to the appointee; and the Board may appoint successors to those persons whose service has been terminated.

Again, Thank You for your service to the Board and Club.

Michelle Santana

DPCA President

The explanation offered for the removal of Dr. Davieds is profoundly disturbing on its face; however, it pales in comparison to the negative impact that decision will have on the health concerns of our Dobermans and their owners.

As a member of the DPCA for nearly two decades, serving the past ten years as Health Education Committee Chair or reciprocal role as the position has evolved, Dr. Davieds' mission has remained constant:

To advance our understanding of canine health as it relates to the Doberman Pinscher, to collaborate with researchers and health providers in order to improve the quality of life for our breed, to make understandable health education available to the DPCA membership throughout the year, and to promote health clinics at reasonable costs to owners. In so doing, breeders and owners are empowered to advocate for and actively participate in health care choices that best serve the goals of longevity and quality of life for their dogs.

Dr. Davieds has volunteered countless hours to this mission networking with researchers and health care providers, contributing her veterinary expertise, establishing long term relationships with doctors and facilities on the cutting edge of veterinary research and communicating with them on an ongoing basis.  She has studied the latest in veterinary advances and current literature, fielded thousands of inquiries, and consistently informed our membership of health related issues in a clear, timely and unbiased manner in order that Doberman owners are better able to make important health choices for their dogs.  This is no trivial contribution, it is an alternate career, all selflessly volunteered. 

Dr. Davieds was recently highlighted in a Purina ProClub Doberman Pinscher Update: 

Kathy Davieds, DVM, of Floyd, Va., who serves as the liaison between researchers and breeders for the Doberman Pinscher Club of America, was the 'catalyst' for this effort that led to identification of the mutation responsible for *dings* in Dobermans.  

Dr. Mark Neff and his research team describe working with Dr. Davieds as follows:

One of the privileges of this position is being able to work with informal biologists, like Dr. Davieds, whom understand the science and the application and can effectively communicate our partnership with the breed community.  Key breed liaisons, such as Dr. Davieds, are apolitical; opinion leaders in their community, and trusted and respected for their discretion.  Dr. Davieds has first and foremost set our standard for breed liaison in every respect and our studies would not have been advanced nearly as far and as quickly without Dr. Davieds. We continue to view her as our partner in the community whether formal or informal.

We strongly believe Dr. Davieds' contribution to the health of the Doberman - particularly DPCA's Dobermans - has been unparalleled in both spirit and content over many years.  The relationships she has intentionally and carefully fostered over the past decade with veterinarians as well as the research, educational and scientific communities nationwide are as invaluable to the breed as they are difficult to replace.  

Finally, her passion for our dogs and her selfless commitment to the service of our membership should be a model for all who volunteer for DPCA and Dobermans.

Please demonstrate your support for Kathy Davieds, DVM and, most importantly of all, the health and well-being of our Dobermans, with your signature on this petition protesting her regrettable termination as Health Education Chair.

We respectfully submit this protest of the decision by DPCA’s Board of Directors to remove Dr. Davieds as the Health Education Chair.