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

NEW YORK, Feb. 13, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- New Jersey lawmakers have shown their support for responsible pet ownership by signing on as Honorary Chairpersons for AKC Meet the Breeds^® brought to you by Purina^® Pro Plan^®, held Saturday, February 14^th at Pier 92 in New York City.  AKC Meet the Breeds offers attendees the chance to meet and play with more than 100 different dog breeds, all while learning about responsible pet ownership and what breed is right for their lifestyle.

"We thank the record number of legislators from New Jersey who signed up to become AKC Meet the Breeds Honorary Chairpersons this year and demonstrate their commitment to responsible dog ownership," said Sheila Goffe, AKC Director of Government Relations. "These lawmakers are serving as great examples to the dog-owning constituents in their community and their support is vital to the American Kennel Club's efforts to promote responsible ownership."

The popular event draws tens of thousands of 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

Meet the Breeds is a new addition to the exciting events of Westminster Week, which includes the iconic 139^th Annual Westminster Kennel Club All Breed Dog Show on Monday and Tuesday, February 16-17, and the 2^nd Annual Masters Agility Championship on Saturday, February 14^th.  All events are presented by Purina^® Pro Plan^®, which is dedicated to helping dogs of all activity levels excel through performance nutrition and expert resources.

To purchase Meet the Breeds tickets and find additional information about this year's event, visit www.akc.org/meetthebreeds.

About The Westminster Kennel Club Presents AKC Meet the Breeds Brought to You by Purina Pro Plan – From Akitas to Xoloitzcuintlis and everything in between, The Westminster Kennel Club presents AKC Meet the Breeds, brought to you by exclusive pet care sponsor Purina Pro Plan. The sixth annual event gives dog lovers the unique opportunity to meet and play with more than 100 different breeds in booths individually decorated to depict each breed's country of origin, historical purpose/function, and attributes as a family pet, all while learning about responsible dog ownership and which breeds may be right for them.  Event sponsors include AKC Visa Card, PetPartners, Motel 6, Ameriprise, Pet Brands, Inc., BH Pet Gear LLC, and ShowSight. For more information, visit www.akc.org/meetthebreeds.

About The Westminster Kennel Club – Established in 1877,The Westminster Kennel Club is America's oldest organization dedicated to the sport of purebred dogs. Its world-famous dog show is America's second-longest continuously-held sporting event in America, after only the Kentucky Derby. In 2015, the 139^th Annual Westminster Kennel Club All Breed Dog show will take place on February 16-17. On the Saturday preceding the show (February 14), the 2nd Annual Masters Agility Championship at Westminster and The Westminster Kennel Club presents AKC Meet the Breeds brought to you by Purina Pro Plan will take place as part of Westminster Week. www.westminsterkennelclub.org.

About Purina Pro Plan – Eight of the last eight Westminster Best In Show Winners were fueled by Purina Pro Plan. Our goal is to give your dog the nutrition to be his absolute best, helping him to be energetic and resilient, and maintain an ideal body condition, healthy skin and a stunning coat.  Our wide range of dry and wet foods, snacks and supplement bars are sold exclusively at pet specialty retailers. For more information, visit www.proplan.com or follow @ProPlan on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Vine or Google+.

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 22,000 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 Reunite and the AKC Museum of the Dog.  For more information, visit www.akc.org.

AKC, American Kennel Club, the American Kennel Club seal and design, and all associated marks and logos are trademarks, registered trademarks and service marks of The American Kennel Club, Inc.

To become a fan of the AKC on Facebook, go to http://www.facebook.com/americankennelclub. To follow the AKC on Twitter, go to http://www.twitter.com/akcdoglovers.

SOURCE American Kennel Club