NEW YORK, Oct. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- More than 60 New York lawmakers have shown their support for responsible pet ownership by signing on as Honorary Chairpersons for the AKC Meet the Breeds® educational event. The popular two-day event draws more than 40,000 pet-loving attendees to New York City from across the tri-state area.
"We thank the New York legislators for demonstrating their commitment to responsible pet ownership by signing on as honorary chairpersons," said Sheila Goffe, AKC Director of Government Relations. "The support and dedication of these lawmakers serves as a great example for the pet-owning constituents in their local community."
AKC Meet the Breeds educates the public in a fun and engaging way about responsible pet ownership, how to research the best pet for their lifestyle and showcases the important public service contributions of many different breeds of dogs in law enforcement, the military, customs service and more.
Several honorary chairpersons will be at the event to sign the AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Pet Promise. The Pet Promise petitions America's pet owners to remind them of everything that is required to be a responsible dog owner. AKC will also spotlight Honorary Chairpersons and their dogs on Facebook and Pinterest.
New York Honorary Chairpersons
U.S. Senator
Charles E.
Schumer
U.S. Congressman
Michael G.
Grimm
U.S. Congresswoman
Carolyn B.
Maloney
NY City Council Member
Margaret S.
Chin
NY City Council Member
Daniel
Garodnick
NY City Council Member
Vincent J.
Gentile
NY City Councilwoman
Sara M.
González
NY City Council Member
Daniel J.
Halloran
NY City Councilman
Vincent
Ignizio
NY City Council Member
Letitia
James
NY City Council Member
Jessica
Lappin
NY City Council Member
Melissa
Mark-Viverito
NY City Councilwoman
Rosie
Mendez
Brooklyn Borough President
Marty
Markowitz
Manhattan Borough President
Scott M.
Stringer
Assemblyman
Edward C.
Braunstein
Assemblywoman
Nancy
Calhoun
Assemblyman
Karim
Camara
Assemblyman
Robert J.
Castelli
Assemblyman
Michael J.
Fitzpatrick
Assemblyman
Andy
Goodell
Assemblyman
Alfred C.
Graf
Assemblyman
Tony
Jordan
Assemblyman
Steve
Katz
Assemblyman
Joseph R.
Lentol
Assemblyman
Bill
Magee
Assemblyman
Alan
Maisel
Assemblywoman
Nicole
Malliotakis
Assemblyman
David G.
McDonough
Assemblyman
Thomas
McKevitt
Assemblywoman
Grace
Meng
Assemblyman
Mike
Miller
Assemblywoman
Joan L.
Millman
Assemblyman
Michael A.
Montesano
Assemblyman
Andrew P.
Raia
Assemblywoman
Michelle
Schimel
Assemblywoman
Claudia
Tenney
Assemblyman
Matthew
Titone
Assemblyman
Harvey
Weisenberg
Assemblyman
David I.
Weprin
Assemblyman
Kenneth P.
Zebrowski
State Senator
Jim
Alesi
State Senator
Tony
Avella
State Senator
Greg
Ball
State Senator
Ruth
Hassell-Thompson
State Senator
Jeffrey D.
Klein
State Senator
Liz
Krueger
State Senator
Andrew
Lanza
State Senator
Carl
Marcellino
State Senator
Velmanette
Montgomery
State Senator
Suzi
Oppenheimer
State Senator
Jose
Peralta
State Senator
Joseph
Robach
State Senator
Stephen M.
Saland
Temporary President and Majority Leader – NY Senate
Dean G.
Skelos
State Senator
Toby Ann
Stavisky
Suffolk County Legislator
Sarah
Anker
Suffolk County Legislator
Rob
Calarco
Suffolk County Legislator
Tom
Climi
Suffolk County Legislator
Lou
D'Amarto
Suffolk County Legislator
Rick
Montano
Nassau County Executive
Ed
Mangano
Nassau County Deputy Presiding Officer
Norma L.
Gonsalves
Nassau County Legislator
Francis X.
Becker
Nassau County Legislator
David
Denenberg
Nassau County Legislator
Joe
Scannell
Nassau County Presiding Officer
Peter J.
Schmitt
Nassau County Legislator
Wayne H.
Wink, Jr.
Nassau County Legislator
Rose Marie
Walker
AKC Meet the Breeds, where visitors can learn and play with more than 200 different dog and cat breeds, takes place on October 20th and 21st 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., Purina® Pro Plan®, Motel 6, K9 Advantix II, Felidae®, Sturdi Products, Citibank, Oreck Direct LLC, Pets Add Life (PAL) campaign, sponsored by the American Pet Products Association, Harry and David, BH Pet Gear LLC, TimberTech, BowTie Inc., Petfood.com, Petsupplies.com, ShowSight, Baker Institute for Animal Health at Cornell University. 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 nearly 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.
SOURCE American Kennel Club