Last month, the AKC’s Raleigh office hosted the flagship AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds.
Hundreds of dogs went through AKC’s My Dog Can Do That! and took the CGC or CGCA tests, while their owners enjoyed dog sport demos, raffles, AKC Meet the Breeds® and a children’s area. It was especially exciting when Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane proclaimed September 19th as AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day in a special ceremony held at City Hall.
I applaud the hard work that our AKC employees put in to organize this event for the 13th successful year, and we greatly appreciate the support of our sponsor, PetPartners, Inc.
We’ve also heard from clubs across the country that celebrated their own successful AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Days.
- The Trap Falls Kennel Club (TFKC) invited the Newtown, CT Police Department and the Monroe, CT Police Department to put on police dog demos. Two of the police K-9s involved had been obtained by their departments thanks to the fundraising efforts of TFKC and delegate Chris Sweetwood, in conjunction with AKC Reunite.
- The Minnesota Responsible Dog Ownership Day provided 40 free CGC and CGCA tests to the public, three sessions of TDI testing, and low-cost AKC microchipping with $5.00 from each microchip going as a donation to the Three Day Breast Cancer Walk.
These are just two of the hundreds of clubs and dog organizations that have hosted events this year or plan to do so over the remainder of 2015, and we thank you all for the support of this program.
This month, we’re recognizing Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The AKC Humane Fund is the leading organization providing assistance to not-for-profit domestic abuse shelters that allow women to bring their pets along with them.
These grants are used by many women’s shelters for essential operational support or capital improvements relating to housing of pets, making it easier for women to break the cycle of abuse.
These domestic violence shelters also often need pet supplies and fostering assistance. If your club would like to help a pet-friendly domestic violence shelter in your community, I encourage you to contact the AKC Humane Fund at akchumanefund@akc.org.
Sincerely,
Dennis B. Sprung
President and CEO