Regulations for Alert Level 3 during COVID-19 lockdown, issued under the Disaster Management Act, No. 57 of 2002 

With dog shows proceeding under Adjusted Alert Level 3, it is necessary for the Kennel Union to bring the following to the attention of all those hosting and organising dog shows, and those contemplating attending them:

The Regulations issued in terms of the Disaster Management Act for Adjusted Alert Level 3 provide, inter alia, as follows in respect of “social gatherings”, provisions which also cover KUSA-licensed dog shows:

• The owner or operator of the facility where the gathering is held must display a “certificate of occupancy” which states the maximum number of people the facility may hold, i.e. 100. [Regulation 36(2)]

• Failure to display a “certificate of occupancy” renders the owner or operator of the facility liable to a fine or six months’ imprisonment, or [Regulation 36(3)]

• The convener of a gathering must ensure the limitation of 100 persons at an outdoor facility is [Regulation 36(5)]

• Failure to comply with the 100 persons limitation constitutes an offence on the part of the convener which, upon conviction, renders him/her liable to a fine or six months’ imprisonment, or [Regulation 36(6)]

• Any person attending a gathering who knows, or ought reasonably to have known or suspected, that the number of people will exceed the 100-persons limit, will be guilty of an offence and, upon conviction, be liable to a fine or six months’ imprisonment, or both. [Regulation 36(7)]

• In happening upon a gathering exceeding 100 people, an enforcement officer must order the assembled to disperse immediately. Any persons refusing to disperse may face arrest and detention under the Criminal Procedure Act, 51 of 1977. [Regulation 36(14)]

It is important for all those involved in the hosting and organisation of dog shows to be aware that KUSA’s Public Liability Insurance only covers KUSA-licensed events insofar as they are “legal” under prevailing national laws. In consequence, owners and operators of venues, as well as conveners of dog shows, are hereby advised that KUSA accepts neither responsibility, nor liability, vicarious or otherwise, for shows at which the legislated limits for gatherings are not strictly observed.

Any transgression in the upholding of the legislated limitation of a gathering shall automatically invalidate the licence KUSA had issued for the show. Should any liability arise from a show at which the authorised size of the gathering had been exceeded, such liability shall fall to the owner or operator of the facility, or the convener of such unlawful gathering, as the case may be.

Pascale Midgley

General Manager

The Kennel Union of Southern Africa

30.07.2021

A TRIBUTE TO GAEL MORISON, FEDERAL COUNCILLOR, ON HER RELOCATING TO THE UNITED KINGDOM, JULY 2021

Gael was born in Pietermaritzburg, where she lived until 1988. Her parents bred and exhibited Rough Collies under the “Clan Campbell” Affix and were both KUSA Judges. Gael therefore enjoyed a typical “doggy” childhood, exposed to all facets of dogdom.

A fellow Rough Collie-exhibitor imported an Afghan Hound into South Africa.Gael’s fate was sealed; she simply had to own one of these exotic hounds!

Gael married Peter Cliff in 1971.

Gael acquired her first Afghan Hound in 1973, sadly not a show dog. A short while later, her parents decided the time had come to pass the torch and gifted her a quality foundation dog and bitch. Gael and Peter started travelling to shows all over the country. They registered their Atlantis Affix with KUSA in 1976 and enjoyed considerable success in the show ring with their Afghan Hounds until their separation in 1986.

1n 1994 Gael added Shetland Sheepdogs to her kennel and continued her success with these two breeds, both as breeder an exhibitor.

Gael met Les, a Scotsman who had spent some time in what was then Northern Rhodesia and Southern Rhodesia, when he moved to KwaZulu-Natal (“Natal” back then!) in 1986.  After tying the knot, they moved to Hillcrest. Les was co-owner of Nashua Durban and they were fortunate to travel the world attending Dealer Conferences, which allowed them to attend many shows overseas. Dog-wise, Les was from a Working background and he soon obtained his judging qualification for the Working Group when the Herding Group was still subsumed into the Working Group.

Gael and Les became deeply involved with Clubs in KZN, not only serving on Committees, but also regularly stewarding at Shows. They independently continued to further their judging careers and Gael achieved All-breeds status in 1994.

Over the years, Gael & Les imported two Afghan Hounds from the U.K. and 1 from Spain.

Shetland Sheepdogs remained their choice for a second breed and the Shelties became Les’s heart dogs; he found them way more biddable than the Afghans! Les’s passion led to Sheltie imports from Australia and Canada for Kennel Atlantis.

Apart from their frequent assignments in South Africa, Gael & Les judged all over the world and will hopefully continue to fly the South African flag from their new base in the UK. They were never happier than when invited to judge on the same panel overseas, which they were fortunate to do on many trips to Australia, Canada and the U.K.

Gael has never hesitated to share her extensive knowledge of dogs with learner Judges and has served on the Judges Education Council of KUSA since its inception. At the time of leaving South Africa, Gael was the Chairman of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Council and a valued member of the Federal Council of KUSA.

It is with great sadness that we bid Gael and Les farewell but, as we do so, we wish them nothing but happiness and prosperity in their new home country. We know that, in Gael’s own words, they will always be “proudly South African dog people” and that they will miss us as much as we will miss them.