New York, NY ” The results are in! Inspired by New York City’s October 16 & 17 Meet the Breeds eventTM, the world’s largest responsible pet ownership event and showcase of cats and dogs, the American Kennel Club (AKC®) and the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA®) searched through the unique personalities and traits of more than 200 dog and cat breeds to determine the best fit for the personality and character of New York City neighborhoods, New Jersey, and Connecticut. In partnership with AOL Paw Nation, the AKC and CFA polled the public, and the masses have spoken.
The Dachshund and American Curl won the race in New York City. The lively, friendly Dachshund, commonly known as a “hot dog” because of its long and low body which resembles a frankfurter, won 41% of voters’ hearts as the dog breed representing Brooklyn’s 94-year-old institution, Nathan’s Hot Dogs. The fancy curled ears and silky coat of the American Curl snagged the most votes (28%) as the cat breed representing the Upper East Side’s affluent, high-society stereotype.
The Yorkshire Terrier’s big personality in a small package won the most votes (39%) representing New Jersey being the fourth smallest state in the nation with the most dense population. The American Shorthair is the top cat with 46% of the votes in New Jersey representing the state’s misunderstood identity. For New Jersey, it is both the Giants and Jets having their home in New Jersey, while identifying themselves as New York teams. For the American Shorthair, the robust, good looking cat is often mistaken for its British counterpart, the British Shorthair.
Golden Retrievers can adapt to many different living situations and are beautiful to look at, and they won with 34% of the votes as the dog breed representing the fictional suburb of Stepford, Connecticut and its “Stepford Wives,” ladies who were attractive robots easily adapting to their new living situation. The oldest known cat breed, the Persian, beat all the other cats as representing Connecticut’s stereotype of the state known for having a large population of affluent families who have been wealthy for generations with 39% of the votes.
Learn more about these breeds online at www.meetthebreeds.com.
From the Afghan Hound to the Turkish Angora, the Meet the Breeds 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.
Tickets allow admittance for one day and can be purchased online at www.meetthebreeds.com.
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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 the AKC and CFA’s Meet the Breeds. Each breed will be presented in its own designated space, decorated to reflect its heritage, characteristics and unique attributes as a pet, while allowing attendees to literally “Meet the Breeds” by petting dogs, cats, puppies and kittens and learning about them directly from the experts. The event is proudly presented by PetPartners, Inc. a leading pet healthcare provider, and will feature more than 120,000 square feet of dog and cat festivities. Sponsors include Invisible Fence® Brand; Pet Brands, Inc.; P&G Pet Care, Iams; Motel 6; ADT Security Services, Inc.; LubriSyn CA; AOL PawNation; Hill’s Science Diet Small & Toy Breed dog food; TD Bank, N.A.; American Pet Products Association; Dog.com; GoPetFriendly.com; Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Litters; Paramount Chemical Specialties, Inc.; Royal Canin; Petmate; Pet Airways®; JAKKS Pacific, Inc.; Sturdi Products and World’s Best Cat Litter. 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 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 www.cfa.org.