New York, NY ” While both cats and dogs have been our faithful companions for centuries, it turns out that dog owners bark louder that cat owners purr when it comes to voicing their love for their pets, according the results of the “Pet Preference” poll on <a “target=”_blank” href=”http://www.meetthebreeds.com”>meetthebreeds.com
Inspired by the upcoming Meet the Breeds™ event, the world’s largest showcase of cats and dogs, the American Kennel Club® (AKC) and the Cat Fanciers’ Association® (CFA) joined forces this summer to put an end to the age old debate over who is the most beloved pet of all ” dogs or cats.
In a last minute surge, cat lovers tried to claw their way to the top, but couldn’t drown out the loud bark of dog lovers. More than 9,000 pet lovers cast their ballot over the eight-week debate. While cat owners outnumber dogs by nearly 13 million among the pet-owning public, dogs fetched 65% of the vote while cats caught 35% of the poll. Dogs led the pack by the widest margin in Chicago (69%), Seattle (69%) and Detroit (69%) while cat-lovers’ purred loudly in Baltimore (45%), Philadelphia (41%) and Houston (41%). Official results, including a run-down of results in the metro areas with the top votes — New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Philadelphia, Portland, Houston, Dallas, Raleigh, Detroit, Atlanta, San Francisco, Denver, Phoenix, and Baltimore ” can be found online at meetthebreeds.com.
During the voting process, cat and dog lovers both posed convincing arguments for their preferred pet.
Cat lovers said:
- “Cats don’t hang all over you wanting attention…they don’t eat disgusting things and then try to lick your face.” ” Sheryl Woods
- “Cats don’t have to be walked and they don’t bark!” ” Terri Ford
- “Cats are much easier to live with ” with much less work. Don’t have to be walked, go outside, and are quiet.” ” Sheila UllmannDog lovers said:
- “While I voted for cats, I really do love dogs, particularly my dog Salukis because he reminds me of cats of course.” ” Chris Moore
- “Cats have to have do-over lives because they didn’t figure out how to have fun the first time around.” ” Marilyn Finley
- “Dogs walk around with a smile as man’s best friend and are always there for us.” ” Kelly Smith
Sponsored by PetPartners, Inc. a leading pet healthcare provider, Meet the Breeds will be held October 17 & 18, 2009 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. From the Afghan Hound to the Turkish Angora, the event will showcase 160 AKC registered dog breeds and 41 CFA registered cat breeds in booths individually decorated to depict each breed’s country of origin, historical purpose/function, and attributes as a family pet. The 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.
Event hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both Saturday, October 17, and Sunday, October 18. Tickets at a special pre-event price ($10 for adults and $6 for kids) are available now at meetthebreeds.com
### [EDITOR’S NOTE: AKC and CFA Spokespeople will be available today, Wednesday, Oct. 14 from 10AM -12PM at the Affinia Manhattan Hotel (371 Seventh Avenue) for sound bites and interviews. Additional resources ” including interviews with an AKC or CFA spokesperson and photos/b-roll of dogs and cats ” are available upon request. Please contact the AKC communications department at (212) 696-8343 or communications@akc.org.About Meet the Breeds — With 160 dog breeds and 41 cat breeds, plus demonstrations, shopping and children’s activities, no pet lover will want to miss Meet the Breeds. The event is proudly presented by PetPartners, Inc. a leading pet healthcare provider, and will feature over 115,000 square feet of dog and cat festivities. Sponsors include Invisible Fence, ADT Security Services, JAKKS Pets, IAMS, DOG.com, Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Litter, Sturdi Products, World’s Best Cat Litter, WebVet, YourDogsHeart.com, Paramount Chemical Specialties Inc., GoPetFriendly.com, Hartz, Continental Airlines, and Petmate. Get your tickets now at meetthebreeds.com.
The American Kennel Club (AKC), proudly celebrates its 125th Anniversary in 2009. Since 1884 the not-for-profit organization has maintained the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world, and today its rules govern more than 20,000 canine competitions each year. 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. 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 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.
The Cat Fanciers’ Association, Inc. (CFA) was founded in 1906 as a non-profit association of member clubs and is the world’s largest registry of pedigreed cats. CFA’s mission is to preserve and promote the pedigreed breeds of cats and to enhance the well-being of ALL cats. CFA promotes education, responsible cat ownership and proper care to the owners of millions of cats worldwide. CFA and its affiliate clubs work nationally with local shelters, at a grassroots level, to help humanely reduce homeless and feral cat populations, and to encourage voluntary neuter/spay of pet cats. To learn more about the Cat Fanciers’ Association, the pedigreed breeds of cats, or to find the nearest CFA cat show, visit their web site at cfa.org
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