Club Wins $1,000 for Responsible Dog Ownership Day Efforts
New York, NY – The American Kennel Club® announced today that the Greater Panama City Dog Fancier’s Association, Inc. (GPCDFA) of Panama City, Fla. has been named a recipient of the AKC® Community Achievement Awards for its dedication to promoting responsible dog ownership. GPCDFA, recognized for holding their second annual AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day, received one of three awards this quarter – Lake Cumberland Kennel Club of Somerset, Ky. and Oshkosh Kennel Club of Oshkosh, Wis., also received acknowledgement.
The AKC Community Achievement Awards support and recognize outstanding public education and legislation efforts of AKC-affiliated clubs, AKC-recognized federations and their members. The AKC selects award recipients who promote purebred dogs and responsible dog ownership within their communities or who have successfully introduced, monitored and responded to legislative issues affecting dog ownership. This year, AKC dedicated the fourth quarter Community Achievement Awards to clubs who went above and beyond in their efforts to promote AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day, an annual event created by the AKC to encourage all dog and pet-related organizations to publicly promote responsible dog ownership and help current dog owners enhance their relationships with their pets.
“We have used this highly successful event to prove to the community that not all dogs, or dog owners, are alike,” wrote Melissa Frye, President of the GPCDFA, who nominated the association for the Community Achievement Award.
This year’s event attendance increased from approximately 75 dogs and owners to more than 300. The club focused on interactive events in which everyone could partake. Club members were available to guide attendees through many activities, including demos in Agility and Rally, Obedience teams, Meet the Breed programs, Bay County Sheriff’s Department K9 team demonstrations, and “Story Time with Sandy,” a storybook reading time with the dogs hosted by a club member. Local animal groups, including rescues, therapy dog organizations and a microchipping clinic were on hand to answer questions from the public.
“The Greater Panama City Dog Fancier’s Association provided a huge amount of useful information to the public during their RDO Day event,” said Noreen Baxter, AKC’s VP of Communications. “By actively promoting this event in its community, hundreds of current as well as potential dog owners are now more aware of the responsibilities that come with pet ownership. We hope other clubs will be inspired and join our RDO Day efforts in 2007.”
Nominations for the AKC Community Achievement Awards are accepted year-round. Up to three honorees are named each quarter. They receive a certificate of appreciation and a $1,000 check payable to the club or federation’s public education and canine legislation efforts. To nominate a club, visit https://www.akc.org/public_education/
community_achievement.cfm.
AKC dog clubs and other pet-related organizations can find out more about AKC RDO Day 2007 at https://www.akc.org/clubs/rdod/events/.