The fourth quarter Community Achievement Awards will solely honor AKC clubs holding exceptional AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day (AKC RDO Day) events in September 2010. AKC RDO Day aims to educate first-time dog owners about the responsibilities of dog ownership and help current owners enhance their relationships with their pets.
For the fourth quarter only, any AKC-affiliated clubs, AKC-recognized federations and their members who host an AKC RDO Day event in their community are eligible for nomination. In order to qualify for the award, the club must hold its event in the month of September. Nominations for the AKC Community Achievement Awards are accepted year-round, however, due to the fact that the 4th quarter awards are dedicated solely to AKC RDO Day, nominations for RDO Day events will not be accepted for consideration for the three remaining quarters. Up to three honorees are named each quarter. Award recipients will receive a certificate and a check for $1,000 payable to the club or federation's public education and canine legislation efforts.
More information on the AKC Community Achievement Awards.
The deadline for 4th quarter AKC Community Achievement Award submissions is October 29, 2010.
The following clubs won $1,000 for their Responsible Dog Ownership Day Efforts in 2009:
American Kennel Club Honors The Lake Cumberland Kennel Club With a Community Achievement Award
The American Kennel Club® announced recently that the Lake Cumberland Kennel Club (LCKC) of Somerset, Kentucky has been named a recipient of the AKC® Community Achievement Award for hosting an exceptional AKC Responsible Dog Ownership (RDO) Day event. LCKC received one of three awards for the fourth quarter of 2009–Rogue Valley Kennel Club of Grants Pass, Oregon and Western Carolina Dog Fanciers Association of Dillsboro, North Carolina also received recognition.
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.
LCKC celebrated RDO Days in many ways throughout the month of September.
They hosted a “Dog Day Afternoon” at the Pulaski County Public Library, which included the establishment of a RDO Day bookshelf at the library, public education about responsible pet care, a screening of the AKC DVD about responsible pet care and the movie Hotel for Dogs, and a donation collection for the Pulaski County Humane Society.
The club also ran obedience classes in September and asked all participants to sign the AKC Pet Promise. They conducted a microchip clinic mid-month, chipping 21 dogs and distributing RDO Day and AKC Companion Animal Recovery educational literature. Letters to the editor promoting responsible ownership ran in the Lexington Herald Leader and Somerset’s Commonwealth Journal.
Other creative educational efforts included the creation of a bumper sticker (titled “Love Is Not Enough – be a responsible dog owner”) that was promoted with an article and photo in the Commonwealth Journal and a local art exhibit sponsored by the club – “Celebrating the Dog” – that honored canine companions.
“The Lake Cumberland Kennel Club has done a wonderful job promoting responsible dog ownership, their club and the AKC within their community, and we thank them for their efforts,” said Sheila Goffe, AKC’s Director of Government Relations. “This is one of the most unique Responsible Dog Ownership Day celebrations we have seen, with multiple events throughout the month. It was obviously very effective, as the club was able to reach many groups within their community.”
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 here
American Kennel Club Honors Rogue Valley Kennel Club With a Community Achievement Award
The American Kennel Club® announced recently that the Rogue Valley Kennel Club (RVKC) of Grants Pass, Oregon has been named a recipient of the AKC® Community Achievement Award for hosting an exceptional AKC Responsible Dog Ownership (RDO) Day event. The RVKC received one of three awards for the fourth quarter of 2009– Lake Cumberland Kennel Club of Somerset, Kentucky and Western Carolina Dog Fanciers’ Association of Dillsboro, North Carolina also received recognition.
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.
The Rogue Valley Kennel Club increased attendance and interest in their sixth annual AKC RDO Day by offering free obedience lessons for all local purebred and mixed breed dogs for three weeks preceding the event. More than 70 dogs attended these classes, and on RDO Day, 40 dogs and handlers participated in AKC Canine Good Citizen testing. Other RVKC RDO Day activities included a “Meet the Breeds” that featured more than 40 breeds; rally, obedience and grooming demos; talks on canine first aid and health care for senior dogs by two local veterinarians; and a microchipping clinic.
The club also obtained both pre- and post-event media coverage. Members made two appearances on local radio stations and placed an article in the Daily Courier. The local NBC affiliate also attended RDO Day and ran a segment that night featuring coverage of the AKC CGC testing, Meet the Breeds, and information about the importance of responsible dog ownership.
“We thank the members of the Rogue Valley Kennel Club for being ambassadors of responsible dog ownership in their community,” said Sheila Goffe, AKC’s Director of Government Relations. “The club works to make its event bigger and better each year, and we appreciate their efforts to reach as many people as possible with this important message.”
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 here
American Kennel Club Honors Western Carolina Dog Fanciers Association With a Community Achievement Award
The American Kennel Club® announced recently that the Western Carolina Dog Fanciers Association (WCDFA) of Dillsboro, North Carolina has been named a recipient of the AKC® Community Achievement Award for hosting an exceptional AKC Responsible Dog Ownership (RDO) Day event. WCDFA received one of three awards for the fourth quarter of 2009–the Rogue Valley Kennel Club of Grants Pass, Oregon and Lake Cumberland Kennel Club of Somerset, Kentucky also received recognition.
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.
The Western Carolina Dog Fanciers Association partnered with the Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department to host a large-scale event in its community. The club’s myriad of activities included a parade of breeds; disc dog, agility, rally and canine freestyle demonstrations; police K-9 exhibitions by Jackson County Law Enforcement; a Q&A session with Search and Rescue handlers and dogs; AKC Canine Good Citizen testing; games for dogs; microchipping; and a dog and owner costume contest. The WCDFA held their event in the Town of Sylva, which recently installed a series of new doggie clean-up stations. To support that effort, club members hosted a raffle – attendees that signed the AKC’s Responsible Dog Ownership Pet Promise were given free dog waste bags as well as tickets for a chance to win raffle prizes at the end of the day.
The club also garnered local media coverage with pre-event articles in local newspapers The Smoky Mountain Times and The Sylva Herald & Ruralite. Local TV station WLOS-TV attended the event and aired segments on the 6pm and 11pm news.
“We are pleased that the Western Carolina Dog Fanciers Association took on the task of hosting such a large and multi-faceted event,” said Sheila Goffe, AKC’s Director of Government Relations. “With all the different activities, the club reached a wide audience and introduced community members to the wonderful world of dogs. We applaud their enthusiasm for education.”
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 here.