Greetings everybody. A year ago, almost to the day, the American Kennel Club and our constituents had to face the grim reality of a lockdown due to an unprecedented pandemic. Incredibly, we are still grappling with this global disaster. COVID-19 has taken an unbearable toll on our Events, Clubs, Exhibitors, Handlers and Judges. But, there’s light at the end of the tunnel.
I say that not only because of the vaccine rollout – measured as it may be – but because during this year-long period of trouble, fear and loss, AKC and our clubs have achieved some incredible things together. As the song goes, “You can’t make it to better days unless you make it through the night”. The work Staff did in 2020 was what we did to “make it through the night.”
We built new programs, expanded our offerings and even seized opportunities that have proven themselves worthy of continuing, even when we return to the life we once knew.
So many of our constituents have struggled in the past year, home-bound and at a loss for ways to engage with their dogs. So, our organization has leveraged technology in dozens of ways to return a sense of purpose to our dog owners’ lives. Virtual Trick Dog, AKC Rally® Virtual Novice and Intermediate classes, ACT Virtual Program and the Virtual Water Test for Pointing Breeds offer new ways to earn titles in our sports. We launched a new Virtual Home Manners Program for our AKC Family Dog suite of titles. A great many people have reached out to tell us how these programs have helped them regain a sense of joy and achievement during these dark times.
We also expanded online learning to ensure that we could avail ourselves of continuing education when shows were cancelled. AKC Canine College now has over 600 courses and exams to offer and has served more than 35,000 learners. Course enrollments continue to grow. We produced and delivered more than 125 webinars to more than 34,000 people, the majority of whom were Judges pursuing education supplied by our Parent Clubs and Staff. The value of online education has been proven during the pandemic and is something we certainly plan to expand.
The Board approved more than 40 modifications to regulations or policies in order to assist clubs and judges at a time when flexibility has been so needed. We developed best practices for all sports to help our clubs hold events safely under the many existing restrictions. Your achievements have been absolutely inspiring. We built new levels of expertise in Safety Planning, culminating in the successful execution of the AKC National Championship in Orlando. We couldn’t have done it without the support of our fancy, who gave their all to participate, follow protocols and adapt to new expectations. With the rest of the sports and the entertainment world stalled and constrained, AKC filled the void with the AKC National Championship, gracing television screens on the ABC network. Our show reached 7 million people over 3 hours and will be aired in various formats and channels 18 times through the end of this month.
The impact of the pandemic on the sports and entertainment industries has been devastating but has opened a door for AKC. Now ESPN networks will broadcast dog sports like Agility, FastCAT®, Dock Diving and Flyball over the next three years. What an exciting opportunity for AKC to introduce our companion, performance and title-recognition sports to people around the country.
Our public messaging has gained even more importance over the past year because of the growth in pure-bred dog ownership that the pandemic has triggered. Visitors to our AKC website, were up more than 50 percent last year. Litter registrations and dog registrations increased 12 and 20 percent, respectively. Americans want dogs more than ever before. Greater numbers of people working and attending school remotely has made dog ownership more attractive and certainly more possible for many more people. Yes, this is good for AKC. To paraphrase the book of Luke, and later Peter Parker, “to whom much was entrusted, more will be asked.” We now have a greater responsibility to educate these new owners about responsible pet ownership and the joys of owning an AKC registered dog. We stand ready to serve and engage them. As our new, inclusive tagline promises: “If it barks, it’s AKC.”
A famous phrase of the Churchill era encouraged Britons to “Keep Calm and Carry On.” In 2020, the American Kennel Club did just that. Our community of Fanciers, Clubs and Staff carried on, learning, adapting, delivering services and making improvements so that we will all be ready when we reach the other side. As Churchill himself said, “We are going on, swinging bravely forward along the grand high road – and already behind the distant mountains is the promise of the sun.” When the sun rises, we will be ready – and so will our dogs.
I began my remarks with “A year ago, almost to the day…” I’d like to add another, more personal comment. Many staff members rose to the challenge and aided our successful journey through 2020. But there is one of us who really took the bit by the reins and went far above the bar in order to keep us whole. One special individual began on February 25, 2020 and celebrated a one-year anniversary a couple of weeks ago, having worked for AKC every single day, including weekends, at his desk to make sure we would come out of this healthy. That individual is, of course, our CEO, Dennis. Steve Jobs once said, “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” Your dedication and love for the Great American Kennel Club is without equal. Thank you, Dennis. And, thank you all.
-Tom