– Disastrous for Dogs-Norway – VG

The Norwegian Kennel Club (NKK) experienced its biggest crisis so far during the mysterious dog illness last fall.

The organization now estimates that the crown crisis will result in a loss of NOK 23 million and that they are at risk of bankruptcy.

NKK is an umbrella organization for various racing and activity clubs in Norway.

Because the organization has no financial purpose, they can receive a maximum of NOK 1.18 million from the government crisis package to volunteer.

They now need $ 10 million to overcome the crisis and, in an email, they have asked member clubs to lend them money.

– We have overcome the biggest crisis in NKK history to date, dog disease. Now we are in a situation where we simply have to reconnect our main source of income, which is events, says NKK CEO Torbjørn Brenna.

– In the worst case, it can go beyond animal welfare

In the email, NKK lists the consequences of a bankruptcy. They write, among other things, that clubs risk losing 120 years of replay data.

– Disastrous for Norwegian dogs, says leader Jostein Dahle in the Norwegian Federation of Elghund Clubs.

It is especially concerned that important information about the health of dogs may disappear. This has consequences both for breeders who have to breed healthy dogs and for people who want to buy a dog.

– In the worst case, it can go beyond animal welfare, Dahle emphasizes.

He notes that NKK also has a social mission through the approval of search dogs, such as dogs used to search for animals damaged by trafficking.

I can not give guarantees

The people of NKK believe that many people forget the role that the organization plays against society and the authorities in a normal situation.

– If we get lost, you lose a very important player who helps create an important interaction between dogs, dog owners and others in the community.

– Why should the playback data disappear, cannot it be transferred to any successor?

– As bankruptcy regulations are today, assets and other assets that are of value will be traded under entirely different considerations. Then various players, such as dog food producers, may be interested in such a record. But right now it is impossible to know who it is and how they will use it, says Brenna.

– Can dog clubs and others that have donated or lent money to NKK suffer financially if they file for bankruptcy?

– Of course we thought about it. We have made it clear to you that we cannot give any guarantees. The only reason we have to ask for a loan is because we don’t fall under the government’s guarantee schemes or crisis packages, says the director.

He adds that due to his strong commitment, he hopes NKK will overcome the crisis, but does not want to give information on how much has come in the form of grants and loans.

According to an unofficial description on Facebook, based on the amount of money the members have revealed, it is worth more than three million crowns.

– A great loss for organized dog activities.

In a Facebook group created to support NKK, some organizations criticize for asking their members for money.

The Line Orlund Leader of the Norsk Boxer Club believes they must understand how big the consequences of bankruptcy can be for dog clubs.

– NKK contributes with member registration, all health information, and all technical solutions around events that require registration. If they are not there, it will be a great loss for all of the dog’s organized activities, Orlund says.

Some of the criticism in the Facebook group is also related to the allegedly illegal use of money in NKK. CEO Brenna replies to VG that they have a healthy economy under normal circumstances.

– We have shown that we have an economy that suffered the crisis last year. Now we were accumulating our capital reserves, but then it came. The level of wages is lower than other voluntary organizations.

Arne Kristianstuen of the Norwegian Shepherd Dog Club notes that dog clubs also play an important social role.

– For many, dogs are the only thing they have. People who fall outside the community and get a dog, train in the woods and fields with other people. I hope the authorities really understand that NKK is doing work that is important to public health, he says.

He adds that youth receive important offers through NKK affiliated dog clubs.