 Traci
Jones, a Maine Coon breeder from Richmond, Virginia, was the 2004 CFA
Southern Region Exhibitor of the Year. Her cattery is Rocquoone Maine
Coons. She signs her e-mails with “Purrfectly Spoiled Kitties,” which
is a testament to her dedication to her cats.Traci represents the best
of CFA. She is a breeder dedicated to the health and welfare of her
breed; she is also a hard worker and good club member, but most of
all, she is someone who dedicates herself to fighting animal rights
legislation that is detrimental to the rights of animal lovers and the
future of the cat fancy. The CFA Southern Region, the Southern Dixie
Cat Club and I take great pride in naming her the first CFA Spotlight
Award recipient.Traci fell in love with Maine Coon cats and started
breeding in 1988, while still in her early 20s. She was a founding
member of the Southern Dixie Cat Club and has held the positions of
President, Secretary, as well as Treasurer, as which she’s currently
serving her second term.Over the years, Traci has produced Maine Coons
of good quality and excellent temperament. She has also opened her
home to several homeless or mistreated cats and dogs, most recently to
a collie named “Saki” and a semi-feral black cat named “Tarbaby.”Along
with others, she was instrumental in setting up an online database for
Maine Coon breeders that lists cats who have been screened and cleared
of genetic issues common to the breed. She still continues to donate
her time to maintain the list.Traci has really made her mark in the
area of animal legislative matters. In 1994, Traci worked with dog
fanciers to pass legislation that established a minimum age and
vaccine requirements for the sale of all puppies and kittens in the
state of Virginia. In 1999, Traci used information from CFA to fight a
proposed breeder licensing law in Richmond, that was based on one
already in place in Los Angeles. This law required breeder permits for
anyone who allowed their dog or cat to reproduce, with heavy fines for
violations. Again, by working with members of the dog fancy,
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she enlisted
others to join her in speaking against the law at the City Council
meeting. Unfortunately, the bill was passed but Traci has recently
used the city’s own figures to show that the legislation has been
ineffective.In 2004, Sen. Russell Potts was expected to propose a bill
in the Virginia Senate that would require a breeder to pay a fee of
$1,000, with a $2,500 fine for breeding without paying the fee. This
bill was written by millionaire, Donald Marro, and his wife, animal
rights activist, Lillian Clancy. Traci quickly went into action and
developed a strategy with the CFA Legislative Group and the Virginia
Federation of Dog Clubs & Breeders to fight the legislation. Sen.
Potts backed off under pressure as he began to better understand the
issues and potential controversy. Instead, he pre-filed a joint
resolution proposing a study of pet overpopulation and companion
animals, concluding with mandatory spay/neutering and breeder
licensing. Traci worked with members of the dog fancy and various
other rescue groups to oppose the resolution and together, they
created a web site for information and urged fanciers to send letters
to the senate committee. Traci spoke against the resolution before the
Senate Rules Committee, citing the failure of similar legislation in
various parts of the country, using the statistics from the breeder
licensing bill in Richmond. Other speakers pointed out more
inaccuracies and noted that the study was most likely biased since it
would be funded by Mr. Marro. The Senate Rules Committee agreed and
voted down the resolution.Traci has also been active in federal
matters and has attended Pet Night on Capitol Hill events, where she
has been able to interact with many Congressional leaders and their
staff.CFA is lucky to have Traci’s long-term commitment and
substantial knowledge. Her legislative efforts help keep the cat fancy
viable in this state and in other parts of the country. CFA
Legislative Chairperson, Joan Miller, has asked me to convey her
personal respect for Traci’s professionalism as well as the CFA
Legislative Group’s gratitude for her work. |
