History of the JRTRF
The formation of the Jack Russell Terrier Research Foundation (JRTRF) was announced at the 1997 Annual General Meeting at the JRTCA National Trial.
Quoted from March 1998 True Grit:
The announcement of the formation of the Jack Russell Terrier Research Foundation was welcome news by a great many Jack Russell owners who have been concerned about inherent problems that have come into the Jack Russell world.
We began our project to create the foundation early last year. We hoped that by sending surveys to the breeders of Jack Russells, requesting information on problems within the breed, we would have a basis for the formation of a tax exempt foundation to fund genetic research. We know that research projects concerning terriers were already underway all across the country at various veterinary colleges and many of us wanted to see an avenue for fundraising for these and other projects that provided a benefit for the ones who aided the cause. We made a proposal to the JRTCA Board of Directors to create a foundation that would serve to "preserve and protect" the Jack Russell Terrier we have all come to love and respect. We also asked the Board if they would fund the start up costs associated with legal fees, filing fees and seed money for the foundation. They said yes!
The Jack Russell Terrier Research Foundation was incorporated by the JRTCA in October of 1997. The bylaws were filed and the IRS extended non-profit status to the Foundation in early December. The Directors were defined in the incorporation papers and four officers were appointed to start the foundation. Michael Bailiff as President, Nancy Breakstone as Secretary, Joyce Cox as Vice-President and Alvaro Rosales as the Treasurer. The JRTCA Board wanted this to be a completely separate organization from the JRTCA and wanted the foundation to stand alone, unlimited in its pursuit to investigate genetic disorders and educate the owners of Jack Russell Terriers as to what the findings of the research discovered.
