This time I want to tell you how our actions in the past year will affect the future of the FCI. I am not saying it is not important to summarise our achievements and to explain why we proceeded in a certain way, but I want to talk about our future as an international organisation, but most important about the future of our dogs worldwide.

Three aspects have been transcendental during the past year; cooperation and collaboration, innovation and preparation for the future. These three aspects will lead our organisation for the next year.

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Rafael de Santiago
FCI President
FCI Scientific Commission – Activity report

President: Dr Kirsi Sainio
Members: Prof. Åke Hedhammar, Dr Andreas Villalobos, Dr Margarita Durán, Dr Grégoire Leroy

The FCI Scientific Commission has faced an unusual situation since the year 2015 left the Commission without a President. This was due to the unfortunate circumstances that made impossible the re-election of our former President, Professor Zeev Trainin, at the General Assembly held in Milan. The work of the commission was paralysed after the extraordinary Commission meeting in Thuin in November, 2015. After this meeting, one member was missing, as well as the President. Prof. Trainin was proposed by the member of the Commission to be named as a “senior advisor” for the Commission. This issue has not been fully resolved today.

During the meeting the Commission was nevertheless able to finish the procedure of recognition of one new breed, the Lancashire Heeler (FCI Standard number 360). The breed was accepted on a provisional basis in May, 2016. The Commission also dealt with the application of the two new Czech breeds, namely the Chodsky Dog and the Prazsky Krysarik Dog. Their population statistics still required more detailed information, and the issue will be on the agenda at the meeting in Paris, in 2017.

The new President was elected by the remaining members in a vote conducted by the FCI office. Dr Kirsi Sainio was elected as the new President in February, 2016.

Unfortunately, a few members of the Commission were unable to attend the Scientific and Standards Commissions meetings that had been planned to be held in Mexico in April, 2016 after a kind invitation of Federación Canófila Mexicana. The Scientific Commission’s meeting was thus cancelled. The next meeting will be held in Paris, in April 2017, during the 3rd Dog Health Workshop organised by the Société Centrale Canine (France). There is a reasonable hope that the Commission is able to continue its important work.

In the meantime, the Commission has not been idle. Dr Grégoire Leroy was in Moscow during the 2016 World Dog Show and conducted the examination of the Russian Toy Dogs, together with a member of the Standards Commission. The final recognition of the breed will be on the agenda of the Commission for our next meeting. Dr Leroy has also been busy assessing the family groups of several new breeds that seek for FCI recognition. All these breeds will be assessed in the meeting to come.

The Commission has published several articles and presentations on the FCI website. Prof. Trainin and Dr Leroy published an article: Dog breeding and molecular tools: uses and concerns; Dr Villalobos an extensive presentation, also available as a PowerPoint presentation: Enfermedades hereditarias y congénitas. This important work still needs to be translated into English. A new model for FCI Hip-/Elbow Dysplasia International Certificate was also published. This certificate can also be used by the national canine organisations.

The President of the Commission, Dr Kirsi Sainio, has been busy answering several questions and inquiries coming from the members, the FCI national canine organisations, but also from individuals that have been concerned about a certain health or genetic issue in dogs.

All this has only shown that the Scientific Commission’s work is important and that we absolutely need this Commission in the future as well. The work of the Commission is still facing challenges, but - I am convinced - nothing that we could not overcome for the sake of our dogs.

Kirsi Sainio
President of the FCI Scientific Commission