[ANIMAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION – EUROPE]

In 1988, Jan Dirk van Ginneke, the Netherlands, was concerned about a bulldog ban that was about to take place, or had taken place, in his native country of Holland. However, my not being directly involved in the ARF office at the time, I had no knowledge of Mr. Ginneke’s situation. He spoke to Tom Stodghill, my father-in-law, by phone, seeking his advice, and, on a number of occasions, he briefly spoke to my wife, Jean Stodghill-Walker, her father’s ARF Secretary at the time.

Before we begin the history of the ARFE, I need to share some background information with you, concerning Tom’s life. He and his second wife, Eunice, managed the ARF office, up and until she had a stroke in 1980; at that time, Tom was 77 years old, and Eunice was 76.

Tom & Eunice Stodghill

from ARF Cowdog Magazine - Issue No. 87, page 4 & 5

For four years, Tom cared for his wife at home, while his only son, Clint Stodghill, and his wife took over ARF operations; however, his son continued to publish his "ARF COWDOG MAGAZINE", while he wrote, and talked by phone, to his many ARF customers, and helped them all he could. For the next four years, he relied heavily on his daughter, Jean, my wife, and me, to care for all the ranch dogs, livestock, etc. Then, the unthinkable happened; his son, Clint, was severely injured in a head-on collision with another automobile, on October 16, 1988, in front of the Ranch. For many weeks, I drove Tom each evening to visit his son, who was in the intensive care unit at Methodist Hospital, Dallas, Texas. For weeks, the doctors would not give Tom hope that they expected Clint to survive. (By a miracle, he recovered, and now, at age 73, is in a nearby nursing home.)

Tom losing his wife, Eunice, in 1984, after 37 years of marriage, and, then, the tragedy of his son, Clint, in 1988, one would think that he should not have to suffer more. However, he was diagnosed with cancer in late 1988, or early 1989. It was then, under these conditions, that Mr. Van Ginneke must have kept contacting Mr. Stodghill, wanting to know what he should do about a bulldog ban problem in the Netherlands. No records of their phone conversations, or as to how many calls Mr. Van Ginneke made, were kept by Tom, by then 85 years old.

As Tom’s son-in-law, since 1964, I have spent untold hours with him [in his office and in his home, on his ranch, in my car, in my truck, and at many of his cowdog rodeos.]. Many of our private conversations concerned the future of ARF. He was very adamant that the ARF not be sold, and that the Foundation stay in the Stodghill Family. Therefore, everyone who knew Tom very well knew that he was "not" going to turn over his life’s work to an outsider. To talk of any such would have been considered unthinkable; he wanted ARF to stay in the Stodghill Family. He told me that, in the past, he knew of 37 different individuals who had dishonestly tried to take over his animal registry. Therefore, let me assure you at this point, no one can ever convince me, or any other member of the Stodghill Family, or his close friends, that he approved, or gave permission for, anyone to infringe upon the ARF name, by registering it, here in the United States, or overseas. He always insisted the ARF be kept in the Stodghill Family.

Then, when we thought it couldn’t get much worse, it did. For some unknown reason, early A.M., June 14, 1989, Tom did not tell anyone in the family that he intended to take a Border Collie to the Dallas - Ft. Worth [DFW] International Airport, to ship to a customer. Only his secretary was aware of this, but she was new to the job, and did not know to advise Jean and me of what Tom was planning to do. When he left his home that fateful morning, we were experiencing one of the worse rain storms in 50 years. Tragically, the Texas Highway Department had not set up their barriers to prevent the motorists from using the flooded service road. Unfortunately, Tom took the service road route, and his automobile was swept off the road, and, as a result, he drowned in the swift current.

That same day, the Texas Department of Public Safety notified Jean and me, by phone, of the tragedy, and we later heard it on the TV news. We were shocked and deeply grieved that Dad had died in that manner. Afterwards, Tom’s oldest daughter, Mrs. Will Allen Stodghill-Jameson, was immediately appointed as the Executrix of Tom’s affairs; she, in turn, appointed me as manager over the ARF and Ranch affairs. Therefore, from the time of Tom’s passing, until the ARF was transferred to his daughter, my wife, Jean Stodghill-Walker, no one could make any kind of decision for ARF, without Court approval. This procedure with the Court lasted for two years, an extremely trying time for Jean and me, as we had a great deal of responsibility and grief to bear.

During this two-year period, we had some contact with Mr. Jan Dirk van Ginneke. As of today, here is what we know about him and his ARFE operation:

On March 20, 1989, approximately 90 days prior to Tom’s death, June 14^th, 1989, Jan Dirk van Ginneke registered the name "ARFE" in Holland. The Stodghill Family (Tom or his four children) was not even aware that this had been done by Mr. van Ginneke and by Mr. Arno Attila Kassels. Neither did they provide the ARF–USA a "notice" of their intent to register and use the "Animal Research Foundation Europe" name, nor did Jan Dirk van Ginneke ever provide the ARF-USA with any official document of recordation, showing that the "ARFE" name had been "deeded" to him (Mr. Van Ginneke), in the Netherlands. Therefore, for 15 years, they have kept this registration information hidden from us. The Stodghill Family did not learn this information until our men (Mr. Patrick Schrandt and Mr. E. A. Cohen) in Holland were sued July 2004, by Mr. van Ginneke, and they notified us. (We now have opened an ARF Subsidiary in Holland with these two men in charge.)

 

Further, without the Stodghill Family’s and my knowledge, on January 31, 1995, Mr. Jan Dirk van Ginneke and Mrs. Lamberta Maria Alders revised the ARFE business name to read "Animal Research Foundation Europe / The Old Time Dog Society", or, in short, "A.R.F.E./O.T.D.S.". Again, this information was hidden from the Stodghill Family and me, until our men in Holland (Mr. Schrandt and Mr. Cohen) were sued by Mr. van Ginneke, and they forwarded this information to us.

 

However, before we became aware of the above information, Mr. Jan Dirk van Ginneke played the Stodghill Family like a fiddle. Please note the following:

A.) One of the first things Mr. van Ginneke did while we were still under Court authority [1989-1991], was to become an "ARF Certified Breeder" of American Bulldogs. By being an "ARF Certified Breeder", he obtained more world recognition than that of being only an owner, or that of a "regular" ARF breeder. Also, he wanted the world to know that he was the first to register an American Bulldog in the Netherlands, which was okay to do. Therefore, in 1990, he mailed us a nice photo of himself and his dog "Harmony", along with a 2-page article we placed in the "Stodghill’s ARF Cowdog Magazine", Issue 101. On the front cover [See Issue 101 below], it reads as follows: "ARF ‘European Connection’ – ‘Wildbunch Bulldogs’" [his kennel name]. (Note: "Connection" DOES NOT mean a "Subsidiary", anymore than a connection between a man or women makes him/her a husband/wife.)

 

On the inside of the "ARF Cowdog Magazine", Issue 101; Jan Dirk van Ginneke’s article does not mention anything about registering the "Animal Research Foundation" name in Europe, March 20, 1989; however, he does make a big issue of the fact, that … [to quote JDVG]

"Last year [1988], we imported a male American Bulldog from John D. Johnson…. ONE THING IS FOR SURE, THEY WILL BE ARF REGISTERED…."

Also, on his letterhead, he indicated –

"ARF Registration" and "ARF Certified Breeder"

In retrospect, how naïve we were to think he wanted to be a part of ARF-USA, when, in reality, his intention was to register with his own "foundation" that he had already dishonestly, knowingly, intentionally and voluntarily registered secretly in Holland, as "Animal Research Foundation Europe".

Again, Mr. Jan Dirk van Ginneke was silent. He did not reveal that he had registered the "Animal Research Foundation" name in Holland.

C.) On page 5, "ARF Cowdog Magazine", Issue 108; we reprinted a letter from Jan Dirk van Ginneke, dated 4-12-90 [December 4, 1990], with "A.R.F.E." on the letterhead, announcing "A.R.F. Agency – Quinlan, Texas, U.S.A. [Not a "Subsidiary"]. Further, it says "Approved by Chamber of Commerce, No. 120386" [Note: No authority was given to Mr. Van Ginneke, from the "Court" or from the Stodghill Family, to register the "Animal Research Foundation" name, with any registration agency. ARF legal matters were still six months away from being settled by the Court, following Tom Stodghill’s death.]

 

What is interesting to note is, the above "Chamber of Commerce, No. 120386", printed on J. D.’s letterhead, is not the same number that Mr. Van Ginneke was issued by the Chamber of Commerce. The dossier number is shown to be "41120386" on his complaint against the ARF [our "true" ARF-ES "European Subsidiary"]. Again, Mr. Jan Dirk Van Ginneke is silent. He does not reveal that he has registered the "Animal Research Foundation" name in Holland.

D.) In 1991, the ARF published "Stodghill’s ARF Cowdog Magazine", Issue 114. On the back cover of the magazine, we feature an advertisement for Mr. Jan Dirk van Ginneke’s kennel – "Wildbunch American Bulldogs". Under his logo, we printed the following statement:

 

"STODGHILL’S ARF COWDOG MAGAZINE goes to all 50 states of the U.S. & to foreign countries. We also have an ARF OFFICE in Holland – THE NETHERLANDS (ANIMAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION – EUROPE ARFE) operated very efficiently by JAN DIRK & BETTY VAN GINNEKE. They own & operate a kennel for American Bulldogs known as the WILDBUNCH BULLLDOGS. (See front cover of ARF MAGAZINE # 101 & pages 4 & 5)."

With the publishing of the above "ARF Cowdog Magazine", Issue 114, the ARF had been officially turned over to Jean Stodghill-Walker. Therefore, with all the above articles published in Issues 101, 107, 108 & 114, referencing Mr. Van Ginneke, as our "Connection" in Europe, legal documents had not been entered into, or had any agreements been signed by the ARF Trustees, and the Van Ginnekes. Therefore, ARF-USA DID NOT have an official "European Subsidiary" established in Holland.

In the meantime, on October 22, 1993, after months of silence, Mr. Van Ginneke wrote to the ARF-USA, telling us that …

"To protect bulldogs against our crazy laws, I have founded a new club, called BULLDOGSYNDIKAAT, all breeders in this syndicate and our members don’t sell dogs, they give them in loan, the syndicate will always be the owners."

Further, in regards to the American Bulldog Breeders we had in the Netherlands, Mr. Ginneke stated to us, ARF:

"My request, to protect the dogs…PLEASE DON’T REGISTER THEM ANYMORE. If they contact you, please tell them to register A.R.F.E. and join the Bulldogsyndicate."

On November 8, 1993, we received a brief fax message, from Mr. Van Ginneke, stating: "FROM: ANIMAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION EUROPE" 

Re: his letter dated, October 22, 1993,

E.) On November 24, 1993, I, Al Walker, wrote Mr. Van Ginneke a four-page letter, requesting complete information about his newly- founded Club [Bulldogsyndikaat]. I requested the names of all Club officers, the names of all Club members, Club rules, copy of contracts and agreements, dog testing rules, copy of government law regarding bulldog ownership, a sample

 

"official dog passport", a copy of business insurance policy, and a copy of Licenses for the Club that had been issued from his government. Then, I, Al Walker, explained that "ALL REGISTRATION THRU A.R.F.E. FIRST BE DONE BY A.R.F., QUINLAN, TEXAS, THEN CO-REGISTERED BY A.R.F.E."

 

At the end of my letter, I stated:

 

"If we can work together within the framework of the ARF Policy, we want to do so."

 

     

For approximately two-and-a-half years, I did not hear from Mr. Van Ginneke, and, since he was using the "Animal Research Foundation" name, I mailed him a one-page letter ["Receipt for Recorded Delivery" attached], requesting the same information that I wrote to him about on November 24^th 1993. This time, I concluded the letter by saying:

"…information will be used by the ARF Board of Trustees to determine if it is in the best interest to continue an ARFE office in Europe. If we do not hear from you within the next 30 days, we will consider ARFE inactive and no longer doing business with ARF World Headquarters, Quinlan, Texas, U.S.A."

From that letter, I received a scathing response from Mr. Jan Dirk van Ginneke. On his letterhead, dated July 3, 1996, "THE OLD TIME DOG SOCIETY – A SUBSIDIARY OF ANIMAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION EUROPE" [Note: Let me remind you, the Reader, once again, Mr. Van Ginneke was never authorized to be an ARF "Subsidiary", from the ARF World Headquarters, Quinlan, Texas, U.S.A. He wanted to "use" the ARF name due to its fame, but not cooperate with us.]

In the body of his letter, addressed to Jean Stodghill Walker, he states the following:

"The reason I don’t co-register with you anymore is simply because

your husband wanted me to register A.R.F. first and later A.R.F.E."

"If you think this foundation is a European Subsidiary of Animal

Research Foundation U.S.A. you owe me a lot of money."

"In the past I have co-registered all A.R.F.E. animals with you. …

That all stopped after a very commercial unfriendly letter from Al

Walker."

4.) "No more to say, Sincerely, Jan Dirk van Ginneke."

 

From July 3, 1996, until April 27^th, 2004, I did not hear from Mr. van Ginneke. He was right, he had no more to say to us, for almost eight years. However, as we began to negotiate an ARF office in Holland, with Mr. Patrick Schrandt and Mr. E. A. Cohen, as our representatives, by placing a "NOTICE OF INTENT" on our ARF-ES web site, Mr. van Ginneke quickly responded to us, by e-mail, stating:

"If you are looking for a (new) partner you are always welcome to discuss business, but be careful who you choose!" - JDVG

"He, or any other is not allowed to use the name that I have protected by law since 1988…." - JDVG [This was news to us.]

In post haste, Mr. van Ginneke sent a letter, addressed to Mr. Schrandt and to Mr. Cohen, and a copy to his lawyer, Mr. C. Van Tongeren, letting them know that he had registered the ARFE name, March, 20, 1989, and that it was his, and that they better stop using it.

However, on May 6, 2004, I, Al Walker, received an e-mail from Mr. van Ginneke, making the following confession:

"You are absolutely right that I don’t have a document in which the late Tom D. gives me permission to use ARF/ARFE name, that was a gentleman’s agreement at the time." - JDVG

Note: No such "gentlemen’s agreement" was ever noted by the Stodghill Family; if there was an agreement, why didn’t Mr. van Ginneke establish his agreement to use the ARF/ARFE name in Court? He had two years after Mr. Stodghill’s passing, in which to do it. Next, in Mr. van Ginneke’s e-mail, he tried to establish his position with the ARF, Quinlan, Texas, by stating:

"But I am 100% sure Jean Stodghill knows about the agreement, several times it was written in your magazine, I was your European Connection for registering dogs here." - JDVG

Note: As you look at all the above "ARF Cowdog Magazine" articles, referring to Jan Dirk van Ginneke, there are no agreements found, giving Mr. van Ginneke any official authority over any ARF/ARFE matters. Therefore, his only "ARF Connection", with the ARF, was his status as an "ARF CERTIFIED BREEDER", nothing more. Further, it was explained to him, before any bulldog was to be ARFE-registered, it was to be ARF-registered first. This he refused to do. As for our good ARF name, he coveted it, and he has secretly usurped it, for his own commercial purpose. - A.W.

In another Jan Dirk van Ginneke message, Mr. van Ginneke lambasts the Stodghill Family, and wails that the ARF gave him no support in all procedures against the authorities.

Note: ARF has no record of ever committing financial support to Mr. Van Ginneke, so that he could fight the authorities, regarding a Bulldog dog ban.

Dear Reader, what financial support could Mr. Stodghill have given to J. D. van Ginneke, after his wife died, a son was almost died [medical bills mounting into the hundreds of thousands of dollars], and him [Mr. Stodghill, age 85] being diagnosed with cancer? At that time, ARF’s liquidity was virtually non-existent, and, when, Tom passed away, between the undertaker, the court, and the lawyers, ARF’s bank account was just barely enough to meet its employee payroll and office expenses. If it had not been for the money Jean and I had saved, we would not have had funds to invest, and to rebuild the ARF; therefore, the Foundation would have vanished 15 years ago with Tom’s death. Today, we have taken the necessary legal steps to insure that ARF customers will be taken care of, now and in the future.

As for Mr. van Ginneke’s "’ARF-E’ playing with open cards", don’t you believe his constructed untruths. If he were honest with us, why didn’t he tell us that he had registered our ARF/ARFE name, as his own, March 20, 1989. Mr. Van Ginneke never asked the ARF for permission to register our name, so he did it in secret – that equals fraud!!! ARF NEVER GAVE HIM PERMISSION TO REGISTER THE NAME, ARF, OUR NAME, AS HIS OWN.