New Jersey Lawmakers Show Support For Responsible Pet Ownership At AKC Meet the Breeds®

NEW YORK, /PRNewswire/ -- More than 30 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 on February 9th.

“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, Vice President, Government Relations. “Their support is vital to helping us spread the word about the importance of responsible dog ownership and protect the rights of responsible dog owners.”

Over 100 lawmakers from the tri-state area have signed on to be Honorary Chairs for the 2019 event.

Honorary Chairs from New Jersey are as follows:

The American Kennel Club and The International Cat Association^® (TICA^®) have again joined forces to bring AKC Meet the Breeds^® to the public. The event is part of The American Kennel Club & Westminster Kennel Club present Meet & Compete, which also features the 6^th Annual Masters Agility Championship at Westminster brought to you by Purina^® Pro Plan^®. One daytime ticket will grant event-goers access to both AKC Meet the Breeds^® and the Masters Agility Championship at Westminster. Attendees will be able to interact with almost 200 breeds of dogs and cats in elaborately decorated booths depicting elements from the breed’s history, and learn about the breed straight from the experts. AKC Meet the Breeds^® will take place in Piers 92 & 94 from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.

About Meet the Breeds:
From Afghan Hounds to the Turkish Van and everything in between, AKC Meet the Breeds® is brought to you by exclusive pet care sponsor Purina Pro Plan. The tenth annual event gives pet lovers the unique opportunity to meet and play with more than 150 different dog and cat 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 pet ownership and which breeds may be right for them. Event sponsors include AKC Pet Insurance, Motel 6, AKC^SM Visa^® Card, Pet Brands Products, LLC and Merck Animal Health. For more information, visit www.akc.org/meetthebreeds.

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.

About The Westminster Kennel Club – The Westminster Kennel Club is America’s oldest organization dedicated to the sport of purebred dogs. Established in 1877, Westminster’s influence has been felt for more than a century through its famous all-breed, benched dog show held every year in New York City. Today 204 breeds and varieties of dogs compete in Best of Breed judging at Piers 92/94 with the winners advancing to Group and Best in Show competitions at Madison Square Garden. America’s dog show has expanded into Westminster Week which includes the Masters Agility Championship at Westminster and the Masters Obedience Championship at Westminster, both held at Pier 94. More than 3,000 dogs entered from around the world compete in these events, making Westminster Week like no other. Westminster. There’s only one.^® Follow us @WKCDOGS or visit: westminsterkennelclub.org.

About TICA:
TICA^®, The International Cat Association^® is the world’s largest genetic registry of pedigreed and household pet cats, the first and now the world’s largest registry to allow household cats of unknown ancestry to compete for the same titles and awards as pedigreed cats. The responsible breeding of pedigreed cats preserves the distinct characteristics of individual pedigreed breeds and ensures the continuation of predictable physical and behavioral traits for future generations. TICA is headquartered in Harlingen, TX, and administers the rules licensing and management of hundreds of cat shows annually across the globe in 104 countries. TICA and its members work together to promote the preservation of pedigreed cats and the health and welfare of ALL domestic cats through education, responsible cat ownership, and proper care to the owners of millions of cats worldwide. TICA currently recognizes 71 breeds of cats.
Wherever you are, you’re in TICA’s World. Fabulous felines, fun and friendships.
To learn about TICA www.tica.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheInternationalCatAssociation

About Purina Pro Plan:
Purina Pro Plan is proud to be the food of choice for 11 of the last 12 Westminster Best in Show winners* and 97 of the top 100 AKC All-Breed Champions.** With more than 500 staff scientists, veterinarians and nutritionists, it is our goal to provide dogs with the nutrition they need to be their absolute best, to help keep them energetic and resilient, and to maintain an ideal body condition, healthy skin and a stunning coat. Because being the best he can be means something different for every dog, our wide range of dry and wet foods and snacks, sold exclusively at pet specialty stores and online retailers, can be found across five specialized categories, formulated for a dog’s unique needs. For more information, visit www.proplan.com or follow @ProPlan on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or Google+. The brand is manufactured by Nestle Purina PetCare, which promotes responsible pet care, humane education, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. A premiere global manufacturer of pet products, Nestle Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestle S.A., a global leader in nutrition, health and wellness.
*The handler or owner of these champions may have received Purina Pro Plan dog food as Purina ambassadors.
**AKC Top Dogs All Breed Competition through December 31, 2017.

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SOURCE American Kennel Club