New Jersey Legislators Show Support For Responsible Pet Ownership At AKC Meet The Breeds®

NEW YORK, Sept. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- More than 20 New Jersey lawmakers have shown their support for responsible pet ownership by signing on as Honorary Chairpersons for the AKC Meet the Breeds^® educational event.  AKC Meet the Breeds offers attendees the chance to meet and play with more than 200 different dog and cat breeds, all while learning about responsible pet ownership and what breed is right for their lifestyle.

"We thank New Jersey legislators for demonstrating their commitment to responsible pet ownership by becoming an honorary chairperson for AKC Meet the Breeds," said Sheila Goffe, AKC Director of Government Relations. "Their support is vital to helping us spread the word about the importance of responsible dog ownership and recognize the important public service contributions of dogs in law enforcement, the military and more."

The popular two-day event draws more than 40,000 pet-loving attendees to New York City from across the tri-state area, including the many honorary chairpersons that will be on-hand to sign the AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Pet Promise. AKC will also spotlight Honorary Chairpersons and their dogs on Facebook and Pinterest.

New Jersey Honorary Chairpersons

AKC Meet the Breeds takes place on September 28^th and 29^th at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City. Guests can buy tickets at www.MeetTheBreeds.com and take advantage of special advanced tickets prices ($15 adults/$10 kids) while supplies last.

About AKC Meet the Breeds – From Afghan Hounds to the Turkish Van, AKC Meet the Breeds® showcases 160 American Kennel Club® (AKC) registered dog breeds and this year will feature 50 cat breeds registered by The International Cat Association (TICA) in booths individually decorated to depict each breed's country of origin, historical purpose/function, and attributes as a family pet.  This family-friendly event is an opportunity for potential pet owners to interact with responsible breeders and play with dogs and cats while educating themselves about responsible pet ownership and choosing the right pet for their lifestyle. AKC Meet the Breeds is proudly presented by PetPartners, Inc., a leading pet healthcare provider, and will feature more than 160,000 square feet of dog and cat festivities including ongoing demonstration rings – featuring law enforcement K-9's, dog agility, grooming– and more than 100 vendor booths that offer every imaginable product for pets and their owners.  Event sponsors include The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., Pet Brands, Inc., Motel 6, BH Pet Gear LLC, Petco, Pets Add Life (PAL) campaign, sponsored by the American Pet Products Association, American Kennel Club Gold, ShowSight, Baker Institute for Animal Health at Cornell University, amNewYork, Manhattan Parking.. For more information visit www.MeetTheBreeds.com.

The American Kennel Club, founded in 1884, is a not-for-profit organization which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function.  Along with its more than 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 20,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Companion Animal Recovery and the AKC Museum of the Dog.  For more information, visit www.akc.org.

The International Cat Association, Inc. (TICA) was organized during 1979, is the world's largest genetic registry of pedigreed cats, largest registry of household pet cats and kittens, and one of the world's largest sanctioning bodies for cat shows. TICA currently recognizes more than 54 breeds of cats. Wherever you are, you're in TICA's world. A world of fabulous felines…fun...and friendships. To learn more about TICA visit http://www.tica.org.

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SOURCE American Kennel Club