About JACA
Mission Statement
It is the purpose of the Japanese Akitainu Club of America, Inc. (JACA) to preserve the purity of the Japanese Akitainu and to educate the public about the breed. JACA pursues this commitment by engaging in activities which aid, promote, and foster the preservation and betterment of purebred Akitainu.
JACA is a U.S.-based non-profit charitable 501(c)(3) organization working with the AKC, UKC and World Union of Akita Clubs (JKC/FCI).
Constitution and Bylaws
Code of Ethics
The following Code of Ethics is in accordance with the objectives of the Japanese Akitainu Club of America, Inc. (JACA), and are set forth to protect and advance the interest of our breed and club. JACA underwrites these guidelines and requires all members and member-breeders to abide by them. Members who fail to uphold the Code of Ethics will have a strike recorded. Any member who accumulates 3 strikes within a 3 consecutive year-period will be subject to disciplinary action at the discretion of the Board of Directors. The Board reserves the right to dismiss a member in the event of a violation. Members are allowed to appeal for leniency.
EACH JACA MEMBER MUST AGREE AND ADHERE TO THE FOLLOWING:
1. Abide by the Constitution and By-laws of the Japanese Akitainu Club of America (JACA).
2. Conduct oneself at all times in a manner as to reflect credit upon oneself, the sport of purebred dogs, the Japanese Akitainu community, our club and the AKC.
3. Do all in their power to protect and advance the breed and the Club, and to encourage sportsmanlike conduct, good will, and camaraderie amongst members of the Club, and at dog shows, performance events, trials, public education appearances, etc.
4. Assist the serious novice in their understanding of the breed and Club’s culture.
5. Pay annual membership dues in a timely manner.
6. Agree to a one year-probationary term as a new member* (see note below).
7. Maintain the best possible standards of canine health, safety, cleanliness, and veterinary care for all dogs in the household.
IN ADDITION, JACA BREEDER-MEMBERS MUST AGREE AND ADHERE TO THE FOLLOWING:
8. Breed Japanese Akitainu only to other Japanese Akitainu. A Japanese Akitainu is defined by possessing the following verifiable criteria: (a) all ancestors in a three-generation pedigree are registered with the Japanese Kennel Club as Akita and/or Akitainu Hozonkai as Akitainu; OR (b) all ancestors in a three-generation pedigree registered as a Japanese Akitainu within a registry created by an Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI)-affiliated national kennel club since breed recognition in October 1998, the Royal Kennel Club of the United Kingdom (RKC) since 2006, the United Kennel Club (UKC) since 2012, the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) since 2020, the American Kennel Club (AKC) since 2020; OR (c) a three-generation pedigree which is a combination of any of the above, provided all eight great-grandparents are either as specified in (a) or (b).
9. Provide facilities for excellent pre-natal and post-natal care of the dam and her puppies.
10. Maintain accurate breeding records, registration papers, and pedigrees, furnishing each purchaser with proper registration or transfer papers unless written agreement is made at the time of sale that papers are to be withheld.
11. Ensure that all services and sales arrangements are mutually agreed upon, stated in writing, and signed by all parties involved.
12. Advertise honestly and in no way intentionally mislead, defraud, or misrepresent yourself or your litters.
13. Learn and understand the AKC standard of the Japanese Akitainu and breed with the intention of conforming to it and improving upon the lines in your kennel.
14. Find suitable, carefully screened, safe, and loving homes for your puppies.
15. Breed only healthy and temperamentally sound dogs registered to a reputable kennel club (including males used as stud or females leased to another kennel for breeding purposes).
16. Do everything possible to prevent generationally passing on devastating genetic defects which begins with knowledge of pedigree lines and their heritable illnesses as much as possible, in addition to current certifications from OFA or PennHip. JACA requires reported testing results prior to breeding for the following: hips, elbows, patellas, eyes, thyroid, and Amelogenesis Imperfecta/Familial Enamel Hypoplasia. Additional breed-related health tests may be required as they become available.
17. Breed adult females, preferably over 24 months old, with required health test results, considering skipping a season between litters. Breed males, preferably over 18 months old, with required health test results (or adequate preliminary health test results).
18. Will not sell or consign Japanese Akitainu (or any other breeds) to pet shops, brokers, or other commercial dealers, nor breed to their animals.
19. Remain as selective in breeding your stud dogs as breeding your females.
20. Will not donate Japanese Akitainu for raffles or auctions even if for charity.
21. Evaluate the quality of the Japanese Akitainu to be sold, and fairly and honestly represent that evaluation.
22. Either require spay/neuter at a reasonable age or withhold papers and breeding rights for puppies, which, for any reason, may not be qualified to be used for breeding. All registration papers will be withheld until such time as the dog is re-evaluated to determine quality. If the final determination is that of pet quality, no registration papers of any sort need be provided until such time as the owner can provide proof that the dog has been spayed/neutered, after which time papers for limited registration may be provided. If the final evaluation determines a dog is show quality, full registration papers may be provided upon request to the animal’s owner(s). Exceptions can be granted based on breeder/owner contract terms.
23. Acknowledge responsibility for any dog you have bred for its entire lifetime and specify in a written contract that you must be notified by the buyer/owner if a dog bred by your kennel shall be returned or rehomed at any time should the buyer/owner become unable to keep the dog.
24. Will not release puppies to new homes before they are at least eight weeks of age and are in good health.
25. Furnish puppy buyers with complete details/instructions on feeding, general care, medical vaccinations, grooming, pedigree, etc.
26. All dogs must be microchipped before going to their new homes.
27. Insist in writing that the purchaser have the puppy checked by a veterinarian within 72 hours of taking possession, making clear that if the puppy is found to be unfit, it must be returned for either replacement or refund of purchase price.
28. Follow up on all puppies and adults after the sale to ensure their continued care, and to encourage owners to become involved in purebred dog activities to the best of their ability and desire.
29. Accept that the breeder/owner is responsible for any co-owner’s actions and will be held to all articles of the JACA code
of ethics.
30. Will be transparent to owners of litter mates should a puppy or dog of their breeding develop a heritable health condition and/or will also advise if a sire or dam develops a heritable health condition.
ALL MEMBERS SHOULD CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN A SPORTSMANLIKE MANNER, AND TREAT ALL PEOPLE WITH RESPECT AND COURTESY. ACTIONS ON SOCIAL MEDIA MAY HAVE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. IF YOU ARE FOUND TO HAVE ACTED IMPROPERLY AND VIOLATED THE CODE OF CONDUCT IN ANY WAY AS OUTLINED BELOW, YOU WILL BE SANCTIONED ACCORDINGLY.
31. Use social media as a positive outlet to promote the Japanese Akitainu and our club, and to educate about our breed.
32. Members are expected to show the same respect and regard for people on social media that you would in person when at a show, meeting or match.
33. You will not post or give out a member’s private information (including home address, phone number, or date of birth) without the member’s permission.
34. Do not use social media to disparage or be critical of fellow members, their dogs or bloodlines, and the club. Negative comments and images, bullying, criticism, racist, ableist, ageist, anti-LGBTQ+, and sexist remarks can be dangerous and harmful to people’s wellbeing and reputation.
35. Refrain from the use of untrue, slanderous or defaming statements against judges, and other clubs (all-breed clubs, breed parent clubs, sports clubs, etc.) on public forums including social media.
36. Members who have lapsed 2 or more consecutive membership dues must reapply as a new member.
Note: If you are aware of or observe poor social media behavior or actions, you may in good faith remind a member of their responsibilities
when using social media and warn that action can be taken against them if they have abused it. If you believe the breach is serious, feel free to
report it to a member of the Board of Directors.
*Sponsors must be willing to serve as mentors to new members. A breeder may not be listed on the directory of the JACA website until
the probationary period is over. New members may sit on a committee as an appointee by a committee chairperson but may not run for
a board position.
Club History
History of the Japanese Akitainu Club of America
In the mid-1990s, the debate in North America on whether or not to split the Akita breed was raging over Internet forums, e-mail lists, at ringside and just about every other place Akita fanciers might gather; it was bitter and there was no solution in sight. Lines were drawn between the pro-split side and the anti-split side.
IT STARTED WITH A TRIP TO JAPAN
In April of 1997, Akita breeders Pat Szymanski of Akasta Akitas, Ben Herrera of Kobun Akitas and Jim Sjoberg of Hyozan Akitas attended an Akitainu Hozonkai (AKIHO) Headquarters show in Odate, Japan, where they spoke to well-known and respected AKIHO judges and breeders. In addition, they were able to observe for themselves over 200 Japanese Akitainu at one show. These Japanese Akitainu were, in fact, very different from the majority of (American) Akita commonly available in North America. It became obvious to these breeders from the US that in the course of development over previous decades when the AKC closed the stud book, the Akita had indeed become two separate breeds: the Japanese and the American. This situation was not taken lightly by the Szymanskis (Pat and Rich), Herreras (Ben and Melanie) and Sjobergs (Jim and Carol) as they all had experience with both American Akita and Japanese Akitainu and had struggled with the split issue themselves. But with the irrefutable evidence in front of them and with the knowledge that the Japan Kennel Club (JKC) preferred to split the breed internationally, they knew they had to respect the breed’s country of origin.
Shortly after their return to the US, the Sjobergs and Szymanskis sat around Pat’s kitchen table in a suburb of Houston and called the Herreras, who were then living in Southern California. They had “the talk” which would ultimately result in the formation of North America’s first club dedicated to the Japanese Akitainu outside of AKIHO’s North American Branch, which was established in 1970. It must be noted that AKIHO, the oldest Akitainu breed club in the world, operates independently and is not affiliated with other national or international registries or kennel clubs.
After much more discussion with other friends in both the Japanese Akitainu and American Akita fancies, they decided to make a commitment to work towards the split in the AKC, to breed only Japanese Akitainu and to improve and preserve the breed as set forth by Japan as the country of origin. Little did they know the separation of the Japanese Akitainu and American Akita as two individual breeds in most of the rest of the world would happen so soon after their trip to AKIHO Headquarters and that the World Union of Akita Clubs (WUAC) would soon be formed by the JKC.
JACA IS FOUNDED
Internationally, various individuals of the Japanese Akitainu fancy stated that the breed would need a representative club in the United States, and there was a growing worry that the AKC would stall the split on behalf of a particularly vocal group within the Akita Club of America (ACA), the breed parent club. In fact, as of this publishing in 2017, the AKC continues to be one of only two kennel clubs in the world that does not recognize two distinct Akita breeds. Updated to add: In 2020, the ACA voted in favor of splitting the breed in the AKC (210 in favor/58 against).
And so, in May of 1997, with encouragement from board members of the JKC, AKIHO HQ in Odate, AKIHO North America Branch, and Japanese Akitainu clubs in Europe, the Japanese Akitainu Club of America, Inc. (JACA), was founded by the Szymanskis, the Herreras, the Sjobergs, Cindy and Jim Hicks, Mike and Laurie Shannen, Frances Connor, Akira Miyabayashi and Hope Yoneshige. Also, it is important to note that several members of the ACA believed in preserving both breeds as separate, so among JACA’s first members were breeders and owners of American Akitas.
JACA’S ROLE TODAY
Since our formation, JACA’s goal has been to achieve full recognition for the Akitainu as the parent club in the AKC. JACA was the only Akita club from the United States to be invited by the JKC to participate in their very first Akita Judges’ Special Seminar held in Tokyo in January of 2001. The delegates from JACA enjoyed meeting Akita judges and breeders from around the world and the seminar itself proved very educational and informative on a variety of subjects. We have also been a consistent presence at the World Akita Conferences held by WUAC and maintain great working relationships and friendships with our counterparts in Japan, Europe and Latin America.
Although JACA has held conformation shows for the breed since 1998, most often in conjunction with the AKIHO North America Branch, in 2012 through our club’s efforts, the United Kennel Club (UKC) recognized the Japanese Akitainu and designated JACA as the parent club of the breed in the US. Under the auspices of the UKC, JACA hosted breed specialty shows and a Nihonken heritage show (the parent club in the UKC is now the Japanese Akitainu Club USA). But we never took our eyes off our original goal. Finally after years of hard work and patience, in 2020, AKC admitted the Japanese Akitainu into their Foundation Stock Services and moved the breed into Miscellaneous class in 2023. From here on, we will continue towards attaining full recognition for our breed.
Over the years, JACA has proudly retained its close ties to the JKC, AKIHO, and WUAC. We have the privilege of being the representative club for the breed in the US by many overseas national Japanese Akitainu clubs. In fact, our Judges Quick Guide designed and published by our Judges Education Committee has been translated into several languages and used in seminars in different countries.
Japanese Akitainu Club of America Contact Directory
General Inquiries
For club business and general inquiries from non-members, our secretary may be e-mailed at info@akita-inu.com.
JACA Cares
If you represent a rescue organization that deals specifically with Japanese Akitainus and wish to learn more about our JACA Cares program, write to us at rescue@akita-inu.com. (Please keep in mind, we do not pull, foster or place dogs; we leave that to the rescue experts).
JACA Area Reps
JACA Area Reps are members kind enough to volunteer their time and energy to organize official events and informal activities in their respective areas (some events may be held in conjunction with AKIHO North America).
Southern California and Southwest US (So. Cal, Hawaii, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico): Hope and Sean, Hope@akita-inu.com or Sean@akita-inu.com
Northern California: Kat and Bekki, NorCal@akita-inu.com
Pacific Northwest and NW US (Washington, Oregon, British Columbia; Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah and Colorado): Gina and Cenafer, PNW@akita-inu.com
The Republic of Texas and Southern Central US (Texas, Lousiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas): Stephanie, thepaiselyfox@gmail.com
Northern Central US (North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota and Iowa): Amber, Aeisfeld15@gmail.com
Northeast US (New York, PA, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and the New England States): Mira, Mira@akita-inu.com
Great Lakes US (Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky): Jodie@akita-inu.com
Southeast US (North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida): Jina, jinasf@yahoo.com
JACA Board of Directors
President – Katherine Kurylo
Vice-President – Jina Choi
Treasurer – Tim Wilder
Corresponding Secretary – Michelle Fukunaga
Recording Secretary – Cathie Mankins
Boardmembers at large – Amber Eisfeld, Cenafer Carino, Ilka Wagner-Van Zandt
Past-President – Judy Cho Takamatsu