In April of 2002 a group of Siberian Husky enthusiast living in the Western portion of Connecticut got together and decided to organize the beginnings of a specialty dog club geared towards the interests of Siberian Husky owners.  From their common interests and goals they formed the Siberian Husky Club of Western Connecticut.

Their objective was to do all possible to bring the natural qualities of the purebred Siberian to perfection and create a family oriented dog club to encourage Siberian owners of all ages to get involved with their Siberians in club sponsored events.  Club goals included: encouraging responsible selective procreation of Siberians by breeders; educating club members and the general public of the standards of the breed as approved by The American Kennel Club; protecting and advancing the interests of the breed through a “Code of Ethics” for club members; and encouraging sportsmanlike competition and behavior at dog shows, sleddog races, obedience trials and other dog related events as may be appropriate for the breed.

Over the next six months numerous organizational meetings were held which led to the club’s first official general membership meeting in October 2002.

After one full year of operations, in April 2003, working in conjunction with other area rescue organizations, the club began a Rescue Program to find loving homes for displaced Siberians within Connecticut.  In December or 2003, the Rescue Program expanded its area of coverage to include Rhode. The Rescue Program offers foster care, when available, until a Siberian can be placed permanently.  One of the program’s goals is to educate those who feel they may need to surrender a Siberian of the specific needs of the breed.  By offering possible solutions to problems Siberian owners are encountering we have been successful, in numerous cases, advancing solutions allowing a Siberian to stay with their owners.

 In the fall of 2004 the club started a Veterinary Assistance Program to allocate funds to assist owners of purebred Siberian Huskies living in Connecticut and Rhode Island who, due to economic hardship, cannot afford extraordinary veterinary expenses.  Expenses covered include contributing towards treatment for heartworm, lyme disease, cancer, and other possible catastrophic ailments as well as helping with major surgery and/or other Assistance Program approved veterinary expenses.  Such expenses do not include routine expenses incurred such as regular veterinary care and check-ups, required shots, and preventative medications and applications.  In conjunction with this program the club now has an official Club Veterinarian to help accomplish the goals of this very important program.

On January 12, 2005 our membership voted to amend its Constitution and By-Laws in order to better incorporate and accomplish the club’s goals within our new expanded geographic area.  The club is now known as the Siberian Husky Club & Rescue of Southern New England.  Also in 2005 we became a non-profit 500(c)(3) recognized organization by the Internal Revenue Service, retro active to April 2003.

Our three main fundraising events are: a “Winter Festival” the first week in February where participants enjoy a day of sanctioned sleddog racing, skijoring, ice skating, a bonfire, and fabulous food and drink to keep those chilled human bones warm;  a “Fun Match and Picnic” the end of July were those in attendance enjoy a real “olde time” country picnic and participate in “goofy” games and contests with their Siberian(s);  and a Siberian, non-sanctioned,  "Obedience Trials and Specialty Match" in the fall allowing club members and other Siberian owners to show off their favorite four legged Siberian companions. These events are open to the public and are heavily advertised in the media.

In addition, the club has an on-going roster of events and participates in various community oriented activities including Siberian Demonstrations, parades, “Husky Hikes”, and other forums wherein the club can promote responsible Siberian ownership while enjoying the fun filled world of owning a Siberian Husky.

We all know how our Siberian Huskies are known to sometimes exhibit undesirable behaviors such as digging; chewing; soiling; doing the infamous “Siberian Greeting Jump” onto their owners and their owner’s friends; pulling their owners when they take their Siberian(s) for a walk as though they were a dogsled; and not sitting, downing, or staying when commanded.  This year the club started “Obedience Training” classes to help Siberian owners train their Siberian(s), and themselves, to deal with, if not eliminate, these typical Siberian traits.  Owners and their families are taught how to keep themselves their Siberian’s “Alpha”, and not the other way around.

In conjunction with our growth and expansion our Webmaster is doing a fantastic job putting the finishing touches on a new website which will make it easier, if not fun, to navigate through our club’s different offerings.

The current club officers are as follows:  President - Candace Bouchard;  Secretary - Donald Chepurna;  Treasurer - Karen Frank;  Director at Large (Western Connecticut) - Douglas Murray;  and Director at Large (Eastern Connecticut and Rhode Island) - Mark Wood.