Good morning or afternoon, whatever the case may be. Resilience. Flexibility. Communication. When we look back on the past year and a half – as we do now nearing the midway point of 2021 – these are the words that characterize our incredible organization. The end of the pandemic is at last in our sights, but there is still a long way to go.
The resilience of our Delegates, clubs, breeders, exhibitors, handlers, judges and volunteers has been nothing short of extraordinary. Challenges with quarantines, social distancing, health protocols and venue shutdowns never tempered our fanciers’ desire to host events for all who love and value purebred dogs. It was certainly not easy, but those of us who were able, continued to show up for our dogs and our sport. We are getting back to where we have been. Now, AKC events for the second quarter of the year are at ninety-nine percent of the quantity of events in the same period of 2019, before the pandemic. The return is most notable among certain Companion events, but all sports are rising to meet a new day when we can congregate safely again and share the love of our purebred dogs together.
Registration trends also prove the resilience of our breeders. Litters and dogs have grown by 18% and 25% respectively, as compared to the same period last year. Navigating the demand of so-called “pandemic puppy buyers,” contending with distanced veterinary visits and socializing young puppies have been among the challenges our breeders faced. But we pressed on with our mission to carry forth and improve breeding stock into the next generation. Our breeds, particularly those bearing the mark of “vulnerable,” demand our cultivation and preservation. Breeders who maintained these important efforts during this difficult period have our respect and appreciation.
The road forward has not been easy for anyone in our sport. But we have persevered, and that is the true measure of our accomplishment. As Nelson Mandela put it, “Do not judge me by my success; judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.”
All of us, including the fanciers we represent, have shown how being flexible and receptive to new ideas and expectations can see us through trying times. We adapted to face coverings and social distancing protocols to bring back competition where we could. We provided virtual titles in Companion and Performance events to allow dogs and owners to gain a foothold in our sports when traditional opportunities were few. We availed ourselves of continuing education online to hone our skills away from the rings. We participated in meetings like this, virtually, to keep pace with the speed of business. And while our lives begin to take on a greater degree of “the way things were,” we will consider how some of the “pandemic practices” could continue to add value to the ways in which we collaborate going forward. It was Martin Luther King Jr. who famously said, “If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” … and that’s just what we have done.
Communication has been the key to how we have achieved so much under so many constraints. The Board and Staff have made inordinate efforts to keep everyone abreast of developments and changes during the past twelve months. Thomas Jefferson wrote, “A well-informed electorate is a prerequisite to democracy.” Throughout the pandemic, our President and CEO has sent sixteen in-depth reports to update Club Presidents, Secretaries and Delegates about Staff projects and achievements. In an effort to enhance Board transparency, your Board established a Board Communications Committee in May of last year. This committee is tasked with timely communication with the entire Delegate body on issues and inquiries that are important to the Sport and the fancy. This committee speaks for the Board and represents the opinion of the Board. In some cases, the Communications Committee simply delivers a timely message, while in other cases it is a response to an inquiry of the Board from the Delegate Body. The Committee welcomes the opportunity to communicate with you all, so please continue to reach out.
Staff has also taken extra steps to communicate to new dog owners with concrete ways to engage with our organization and our mission. A new email series called “AKC Events Near You” began in April as a way to notify new dog registrants about upcoming events and learning opportunities tailored by location and breed eligibility. Every month, registrants in the past 12 months with a dog between the ages of 4 and 36 months receive a list of AKC events in which their dog can participate, occurring in the following month within 120 miles of their home. In April alone, we deployed more than 400,000 emails. As more events return and as registrations increase, these email numbers will continue to grow. We want to do everything possible to encourage new dog owners to join us in our sports, and to support our clubs to build gate and entries whenever possible. This triggered email series is just one more way in which we are leveraging communication tools to rise to the challenges of our times.
Finally, on behalf of the Board, I would like to acknowledge some individuals who have put into practice the resilience, flexibility and communication that have seen AKC through the pandemic.
In the field, Pattie Proctor. The work of a Conformation Field Representative is largely behind the scenes, particularly when events were cancelled, but its value cannot be understated. Pattie’s efforts have been extraordinary. Covering events, observing judges, running clinics, creating schedules, leading conference calls, mentoring field staff and every aspect of “the show must go on” are all in a day’s work for this pillar of the sport. Pattie, we thank you for all that you do.
Also, in the field, Dr. Mary Burch. The scientific leader of the AKC Canine Good Citizen program, Mary has given 25 years to the notion that a well-trained dog is a joy to own. Under her care, the AKC Canine Good Citizen award has been bestowed upon 1 million dogs. Mary has grown our roster of CGC Evaluators to an all-time high of more than 13,000. Ever receptive to the needs of new dog owners, Mary has built the AKC Family Dog Program to extend CGC into more titles, including AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy, AKC Community Canine, Urban CGC, AKC Therapy Dog, and AKC FIT Dog. Mary has also devised new programs for owners who wish to train virtually, including AKC Trick Dog and AKC Virtual Home Manners. Thank you, Dr. Burch.
In Raleigh, Tim Pursell, and in New York, Paula Spector. Together, this cross-departmental team transformed the way our meetings take place, and it was their sweat equity and collaboration that ensured that we have never missed a beat. To date, 11 Board meetings, 4 Delegate Meetings complete with electronic voting and 28 Committee Meetings all came together seamlessly thanks to their dedicated planning, technical support, training and attention to detail. I join them both in saying we all look forward to the day when we can see each other again in person. Thank you, Paula and Tim.
In New York, Ron Furman. While the pandemic put a damper on professional sports, Ron Furman led the way for AKC to fill the void. With a portfolio of exciting events unfolding on ESPN Networks and a debut of the AKC National Championship on ABC TV, Ron has helped us broaden our audience and sponsors immensely by introducing the viewing public to the thrilling world of AKC events. Agility, Fastest Dog, Dock Diving, Flyball, Police K9 and other programs are all joining the ranks of AKC Action Sports on ESPN, thanks to Ron’s vision and ingenuity. Thank you, Ron.
In Raleigh, Keith Frazier. Conditions in North Carolina required critical attention that was delivered expertly by Keith and his team. Print and mail services that we require for our core business – most notably Registration – never shut down when the pandemic began and have kept moving forward like a well-oiled machine. Keith and his team have worked tirelessly in person at our Operations Center to ensure that employees could return to a safe and secure office environment with all necessary health measures in place. Thank you, Keith.
And, in Raleigh, Doug Ljungren and the entire Sports & Events Staff for building the virtual titling programs that have brought into AKC so many new sport participants and allowed the existing participants to continue to hone their skills and to enjoy their canine partners in new and fun ways. Thank you, Doug, and all the “outside the box” thinkers on your Staff.
2021 is halfway behind us, and we have every reason to be hopeful for better days ahead. Still, we will forge ahead with the resilience, receptivity and communication that our fancy and our Staff have exemplified during these exceptional times. Thank you again for your collaboration and support.
– Tom