The Portuguese Water Dog Foundation’s founders and legacy donors embody a commitment to our breed that transcends time. Their contributions not only sparked the inception of our mission but also helped ensure its continuity. They have built a legacy of hope and progress that inspires others to follow. We celebrate them, their foresight and their generosity.
Dr. Jean Butterfield Duncan
Dr. Jean Butterfield Duncan passed away on February 6, 2026. Jean was a proud and loving owner of several Portuguese Water Dogs throughout her life. She experienced immense joy as a dog-mom to Kilty, Splasher, Gracie, and Zoe. Her PWDs were all raised close to water, so they could swim regularly when they weren’t on walks or playing with their chest full of toys. She gave charitably to Portuguese Water Dog Foundation during her lifetime. It was Jean’s wish that her estate help support the ongoing work of the PWDF, and she was fortunate enough to be able to bequeath a generous distribution toward this purpose.
Joan Bendure
In 1997, Joan began reaching out to other long-time Portuguese Water Dog owners to gauge interest in forming a health foundation for PWDs. She founded the Portuguese Water Dog Foundation as a nonprofit in 1998 and served as its first president until 2006. She remained a Board member until 2009.
Joan was a part of the PWD community’s grass-root efforts to discover gene variants for the early health conditions that affected Portuguese water Dogs, including research that would lead to genetic testing for Juvenile Dilated Cardio-myopathy, a gene test for prcd-PRA, and early research into hemangiosarcoma. More recently, she was a driving force in ensuring the development of a gene test for Early Onset PRA.
Joan was a dog breeder of both PWDs and Newfoundlands, and she wrote the book “The Newfoundland: Companion Dog – Water Dog” in 1994. She was an Erie County 4-H dog leader who worked with the Lions Club Seeing-Eye Dog Program to raise seeing-eye dogs for the visually impaired. She was also a member of The Erie Kennel Club, and a co-founder of the Because You Care animal rescue organization.
1946-2023
Julie Madden Kraus
Julie and Dick Kraus’s kindness and generosity played a huge role in the Nutmeg Portuguese Water Dog Club’s Water Trial program. Thirty plus years ago Julie and Dick bought their house on the water in Monroe CT for their dogs and then generously shared it with other Portuguese Water Dog water enthusiasts who enjoyed the site for practice days as well as Water Trials. Dick participated in all things water until just before his death, while Julie just enjoyed seeing the dogs playing and working in the water. Sadly, it’s the end of an era. Fair winds and following seas, Julie, rest in peace.
1934 – 2024
Beverly Dees Rafferty
Bev was a fighter who fought as hard for the health of the dogs she loved as for her own. She was an inspiration who showed us how to live life in the face of incredible adversity and not let that adversity define who you are. Bev was as tenacious and self-willed as the wonderful breed she chose to dedicate her life to.
Bev and her Pinehaven Kennel were a part of the history of the breed in this country, a history we must never lose sight of. Be free Bev, in the arms of the amazing dogs and people you loved who went on before you.
1955-2018
Mrs. Lucia Brown Dudley
“My mother loved raising, training and showing her dogs, Salty, Peppa and Rosy. She also enjoyed immensely the camaraderie with other PWD enthusiasts.”
–Brewster Hastings
1927-2015