Memorial Fund for Dr. Jay Russell

Like many of you, we became aware of Jay’s untimely death on June 26, 2019. If you have had the joy of a Coton de Tulear in your and your family’s life, you have Jay and his wife Laurie to thank because Jay introduced the first the Coton de Tulear to North America.

We have only learned in the last few days that due to Jay’s severe injuries and untimely death Laurie Spalding Russell has been left with many unpaid medical and household expenses. Jay suffered a severe broken leg, which led to hospitalization, major surgery, several strokes and a long stay at the ICU with a subsequent move to a nursing home. As Laurie works through this most difficult time of her life, in addition to taking care of nine Cotons and three rescue cats, your help would go a long way in helping her deal with this unexpected situation.

For those of us truly lucky enough to interact with Jay, you instantly knew a special person had crossed your path.  Had you had the opportunity to meet Jay, you would have learned that Jay wore many hats and each one came with a rich legacy of giving generously of his time and resources.

Jay was a professor who mentored students who are forever indebted to him, a photographer whose eye for beauty is with us still, a Miata automobile enthusiast who enjoyed driving on the Watkins Glen racetrack when they would let “amateurs” on the track – and Jay was no “amateur”, a researcher dedicated to the lemurs of Madagascar and author of an award-winning book, “The Lemur’s Legacy: The Evolution of Power, Sex and Love.” 

Most importantly to most of us, while at Duke University, Jay had the opportunity to go to Madagascar and spent two years (1973 - 1975) studying nocturnal lemurs.  It was during these two years that Jay discovered and exported the first Coton de Tulear females from Madagascar.  Jay came back from doing research on lemurs in Madagascar in 1975 with the very first Coton de Tulear male in the western hemisphere.  Jay aptly named the breed the “Royal Dog of Madagascar”.

For decades, Jay and Laurie Russell have worked meticulously and devoted their lives to the Coton de Tulear.  Jay and Laurie are the most knowledgeable and visible supporters of the breed in the world. We are asking that Jay and Laurie’s friends, as well as the Coton de Tulear community come together and support Laurie.  

Anything and everything given will be appreciated as an act of love and admiration for the countless ways Jay and Laurie enriched all our lives. Jay would be honored to know we stepped in to help Laurie when he could not. Laurie would like to thank the many friends and family who have reached out with love and support through this tragedy.