The American Kennel Club has completed its 121st year in service to purebred dogs, having made great strides in an emotionally challenging year. In our quest to ensure the future of our sport and cultivate the power of the human-canine bond, the AKC remained the leader in philanthropy, legislation, and education for and about dogs.

The devastating hurricanes Katrina and Rita brought the AKC once again to the forefront of disaster relief in behalf of our beloved family companions. For the first time ever, we sent staff to the affected areas to assist with the needs of displaced animals. Thousands of individuals and 545 clubs and organizations joined us in donating more than $1 million to the AKC CAR Canine Support and Relief Fund in response to the disasters. To date, we have committed more than $900,000 for rescue and relief efforts.

At a time when most corporations' generosity remained limited to the natural disasters in the Gulf Coast region, AKC made a pointed effort to provide disaster relief while still maintaining our commitment to causes that are the mainstay of our sport. With health and research in support of dogs firm among our highest priorities, we contributed $1.7 million to the AKC Canine Health Foundation in 2005. As part of our unwavering commitment to the future of dog care and ownership, we made grants of $300,000 in scholarships for veterinary school students and undergraduate alumni of the AKC Junior Showmanship program. For the preservation of the history and culture of purebred dogs, we contributed $170,000 to the AKC Museum of the Dog.