Australian Shepherd Health & Genetics Institute

What Australian Shepherd Health & Genetics Institute does

ASHGI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation incorporated in California in 2002 and based in Grover Beach, dedicated to addressing inherited diseases in the Australian Shepherd dog breed. Its operations are entirely volunteer-run, with no paid staff, and it was founded by George Johnson, Peter Adolphson, and C.A. Sharp — Sharp serving as President and as the organization's principal subject-matter expert on canine genetics throughout its life. ASHGI's core products are the IDASH (International Directory for Australian Shepherd Health) pedigree analysis and open health database; comprehensive breed health surveys (notably the 2009-2010 survey of 612 Aussies across 17 countries and a cancer survey of 534 dogs); the 'A Field Guide to Coloration of Australian Shepherds' coat color genetics resource; the 'Ten Steps to a Healthier Australian Shepherd' breeder ethics program; and an Ask-the-Expert email Q&A service. Underlying technology is a content-and-data platform — a curated pedigree database with records on 110,000+ dogs, structured survey instruments, and a public website (ashgi.org) — rather than a software product.

ASHGI's business model is nonprofit fundraising combined with a modest fee-based service: tax-deductible individual donations (including a discontinued $50+/year newsletter premium), fee-based IDASH pedigree analysis and genetic counseling for breeders and owners, and event-based fundraising via annual raffles at ASCA National Specialty and other club fundraisers. Cumulatively it provided over $240,000 in research grant support to canine health foundations (Morris Animal Foundation, AKC Canine Health Foundation) and academic researchers at NC State, University of Minnesota, University of Helsinki, and the UK's Animal Health Trust between 2003 and the early 2010s. Go-to-market is community-led: presence at breed national specialties, seminars by Sharp across the US, Canada, and Europe, an active Facebook page, and direct distribution of educational content to breed clubs. Customers are Australian Shepherd breeders, owners, and canine health researchers — a niche but internationally distributed long-tail of individual donors and small-fee users, with no enterprise customers and no donor concentration disclosed. In 2023 ASHGI announced it is shutting down due to the founder's advancing age and health, with programs terminated in May 2023, data files released for download in January 2024, and the website targeted for final shutdown in May 2024.

Name

Australian Shepherd Health & Genetics Institute

Legal name

Australian Shepherd Health & Genetics Institute, Inc.

Website

https://ashgi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ASHGI is a 501(c)(3) all-volunteer nonprofit that operated the largest open Australian Shepherd health and pedigree database (110,000+ dogs), ran breed health surveys across 17 countries, provided IDASH pedigree analysis to breeders, and funded canine genetics research; the organization announced shutdown in 2023.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Canine Health & Genetics Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Animal Production (11521)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFAEALAC

Animal Welfare & Advocacy Organizations

Agriculture & Food Production/Animal Production & Aquaculture/Animal Welfare, Boarding & Production Support Services (non-veterinary)

Keywords

• Canine health research
• Pedigree analysis services
• Breed health surveys
• Canine genetics education
• Hereditary disease research

Headquarters

HQ city

Grover Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting canine genetics research and breed health education. ASHGI's 501(c)(3) status allows US donors to take tax deductions for their contributions.
2. IDASH Pedigree Analysis Service: Fee-based pedigree analysis and genetic counseling service provided to breeders and owners seeking to make informed breeding decisions. Revenue covers basic operating costs and program support.
3. Research Fundraising (Raffles): Annual raffles at ASCA National Specialty and other events raise funds specifically for cancer and epilepsy research. Over $65,000 raised through 2012 for research.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ASHGI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers breed-specific health and genetics programs for Australian Shepherds, including the IDASH international pedigree analysis and open health database service, comprehensive breed health surveys, and educational resources on hereditary diseases. The organization funds canine health research through grants administered via partner foundations and supports breeders and owners worldwide with expert counseling and breeder ethics guidance.

Product overview

ASHGI is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to Australian Shepherd health and genetics. Its core offerings include the International Directory for Australian Shepherd Health (IDASH), which provides pedigree analysis and an open health database, along with comprehensive health surveys and educational resources. The organization also hosts the 'A Field Guide to Coloration of Australian Shepherds' coat color genetics resource. ASHGI supports research through grant funding partnerships with major canine health foundations. All programs are delivered through volunteers, and the organization announced in 2023 that it is shutting down operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IDASH: International Directory for Australian Shepherd Health - an open health database and pedigree analysis service for Australian Shepherd health tracking
• Double Helix Network News

Products and services

• IDASH (International Directory for Australian Shepherd Health) International pedigree analysis and open health database service providing genetic counseling and pedigree analysis results for Australian Shepherd breeders and owners. It incorporates data on thousands of dogs across diseases, faults, and genetic traits collected since the 1980s.
• Australian Shepherd Breed Health Survey Program Comprehensive breed health surveys conducted by ASHGI to determine disease prevalence and trends, including the Comprehensive Australian Shepherd Breed Health Survey (covering dogs born 1990-2005) and the Australian Shepherd Cancer Survey (534 dogs, finding 43% had hemangiosarcoma or lymphoma).
• Ask the Expert Program Personalized health information service where ASHGI volunteers with breed experience and genetics expertise respond to inquiries from Australian Shepherd owners and breeders via email.
• Ten Steps to a Healthier Australian Shepherd Breeder ethics program designed to promote health-focused breeding practices; designed to be applicable to any Aussie breeder anywhere and adopted across the breed community.
• A Field Guide to Coloration of Australian Shepherds Comprehensive coat color genetics resource originally created by Lisa McDonald and hosted by ASHGI, covering standard and nonstandard colors, markings, patterns, and color inheritance in Australian Shepherds.
• ASHGI Research Grant Support Financial support program for canine health research delivered through partnerships with Morris Animal Foundation and AKC Canine Health Foundation, funding studies on epilepsy, cancer (hemangiosarcoma and lymphoma), cataracts, and other inherited diseases affecting Australian Shepherds.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Morris Animal Foundation (MAF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASHGI partners with MAF as one of two established granting agencies to monitor grant compliance and distribute research funds. ASHGI has provided over $77,000 specifically to hemangiosarcoma and lymphoma research through MAF and CHF.
• AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary granting agency partner alongside MAF for distributing research funds. ASHGI has provided over $77,000 to cancer research and over $72,000 to epilepsy research through CHF grants. ASHGI is regularly represented at CHF's biennial conferences.
• Toby's FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerASHGI supported an epilepsy grant made by Toby's Foundation, contributing to collaborative canine epilepsy research efforts.
• North Carolina State University (Dr. Matthew Breen)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Breen, a top canine cancer researcher, agreed to include Aussies in his research and collect/archive Aussie samples for sharing with other researchers. ASHGI has collected dozens of samples from cancer dogs and relatives for Breen's sample repository.
• University of Minnesota (Dr. Ned Patterson)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASHGI has provided over $72,000 to grants supporting Dr. Patterson's canine epilepsy research. ASHGI collected samples and encouraged owner participation in sample-gathering for his study.
• University of Helsinki (Dr. Hannes Lohi)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Lohi collaborates with Dr. Patterson on canine epilepsy research. ASHGI has supported his European research efforts and encouraged owner participation in sample collection across the US and Europe.
• Animal Health Trust (UK)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerASHGI supported an MAF grant to the Animal Health Trust in the United Kingdom for continued research on Aussie cataracts, which led to the HSF4 DNA test. ASHGI provided logistical support distributing forms and cheek swabs to nearly 200 dog owners.
• Australian Shepherd Club of America (ASCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASCA representatives participated in ASHGI's health survey committee. ASHGI has had a booth at the ASCA National Specialty since fall 2004. ASCA presented C.A. Sharp with Lifetime Achievement Award.
• United States Australian Shepherd Association (USASA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSASA representatives participated in ASHGI's health survey committee. ASHGI had booths at USASA nationals from 2005 to 2009. The survey represented a rare inter-club cooperation with both ASCA and USASA represented.
• ASC NetherlandsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational breed club represented on ASHGI's recent health survey committee, demonstrating ASHGI's commitment to international breed community engagement.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Emerging players

• Wisdom Panel: A commercial canine and feline genetic testing platform owned by Mars Petcare, offering breed identification, health screening, and trait analysis at scale. Represents a market-based alternative to ASHGI's breed-health education and pedigree analysis services.
• Embark Veterinary: A commercial canine DNA testing and breed health research company providing direct-to-consumer genetic testing, breed-specific health screening, and a research database that competes with volunteer-driven breed health databases like ASHGI's IDASH.

Broad incumbents

• Morris Animal Foundation: A major nonprofit animal health research foundation that funds studies across species including dogs, and was one of ASHGI's core granting partners. MAF's broader mission includes canine cancer and genetic disease research supported in part by ASHGI funds.
• Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA): The largest canine health registry in the US, offering health screening databases across multiple breeds including orthopedic, cardiac, and genetic conditions. OFA serves a similar health-data repository function to ASHGI but at a multi-breed, larger scale.
• AKC Canine Health Foundation: The largest nonprofit funder of canine health research, and one of ASHGI's primary grant-making partners. CHF funds research across breeds and conditions where ASHGI focused specifically on Australian Shepherd health concerns.

Direct peers

• Berner-Garde Foundation: A nonprofit maintaining a comprehensive health and pedigree database specifically for Bernese Mountain Dogs, with a similar breed-specific data-collection, health survey, and breeder advisory model that closely mirrors ASHGI's Australian Shepherd-focused approach.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ashgi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Australian Shepherd Health & Genetics Institute