AKC BOARD MEETING & CHAIRMAN'S REPORT

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-- AKC Companion Animal Recovery Public Service Second to None  --

The American Kennel Club is proud of its affiliated not-for-profit organizations including AKC Companion Animal Recovery (AKC CAR), the AKC Canine Health Foundation, the AKC Museum of the Dog and the AKC Humane Fund. Since AKC is celebrating its 125th Anniversary milestone this year, I’d also like to congratulate AKC CAR on its recent enrollment milestone and other initiatives that are helping owners, companion animals and clubs across the country.

AKC CAR, the nation’s largest not-for-profit pet recovery service, recently enrolled "Peaches," a 5-month-old German Shepherd Dog as its four millionth enrollee when his microchip identification number was added to its database. A few weeks later AKC CAR added a significant recovery to its growing number – more than 360,000 to date – when "Dopey" the 9-year-old cat was reunited with his owner after a six-year absence thanks to local animal control who scanned him and the dedicated pet recovery specialists at AKC CAR who contacted the family with the good news.

AKC CAR continued to expand their enrollment services to pet owners this year. The Lost Pet Alert connects pet owners with a virtual community of owners, animal shelters, veterinarians and related businesses if their pet is ever lost or stolen. With the Pet Poison Hotline, a call to AKC CAR will give pet owners and their vets access to the best toxicology resources available. The newest product coming to market this month is the Spotlight GPS Pet Locator. Spotlight is the only product of its kind that couples the tracking services provided through GPS with the recovery services of AKC CAR.

In the area of disaster relief and preparedness AKC CAR through the Canine Support and Relief Fund has just established the "Albers Award" to recognize the outstanding disaster relief and preparedness efforts conducted by AKC-affiliated clubs and their members. We thank our hard-working volunteer club members with this distinguished award. For more info go to: http://www.akc.org/news/disaster_preparedness/relief_award.cfm

AKC CAR continues its commitment to AKC clubs by offering discounts to clubs holding microchip clinics either at parent club national specialties or as part of the their AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day events in September. For more info visit: www.akccar.org

Whether enrolling, reuniting or helping displaced companion animals during disaster as well as working side-by-side with AKC clubs, no other pet recovery organization offers so much customer service and then gives back even more as a public service. Well done!

Sincerely,

 

Ron Menaker

Chairman