When: February 9th, 2019

Where: Piers 92 and 94, New York, NY

From Akitas to Xoloitzcuintlis and everything in between, AKC Meet the Breeds is brought to you by exclusive pet care sponsor Purina® Pro Plan®. The tenth annual event gives dog lovers the unique opportunity to meet and play with more than 100 different breeds in booths individually decorated to depict each breed’s country of origin, historical purpose/function, and attributes as a family pet, all while learning about responsible dog ownership and which breeds may be right for them.  This year, cats make their triumphant return to the AKC Meet the Breeds® event with The International Cat Association® (TICA®), giving animal lovers the unique opportunity to meet and play with 35-40 different cat breeds. Event sponsors include AKC Pet Insurance, Motel 6, and Pet Brands.

New York, NY – Dogs take over New York City when The American Kennel Club (AKC^®) & Westminster Kennel Club present Meet & Compete on Saturday, February 9^th at Piers 92 and 94. This event features AKC Meet the Breeds^® and the 6^th Annual Masters Agility Championship at Westminster brought to you by Purina^® Pro Plan^®. Once again, The International Cat Association^® (TICA^®) joins the event to give animal lovers the unique opportunity to meet and play with hundreds of adorable dogs and cats while learning about responsible pet ownership. Attendees also get the chance to see the nation’s top canine athletes race against the clock through an obstacle course at the Masters Agility Championship.

“It is always a joy to bring AKC Meet the Breeds to New York City pet lovers as part of Meet & Compete,” said AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo. “We’re excited to have TICA joining us, bringing attendees a beautiful lineup of dog and cat breeds to meet and play with, while learning about responsible pet ownership and what breed fits their family and lifestyle.”

“Meet & Compete has proven to be a favorite of the NYC public and we’re pleased to once again join forces with the American Kennel Club in hosting this event,” said David A. Helming, Show Chairman for the Westminster Kennel Club. “Meet and Compete continues to be a success and it is wonderful to be able to bring it back for a fifth year.”

This AKC Meet the Breeds^® will be TICA’s sixth time participating in the event, and they will have ongoing exciting cat agility demonstrations for the public. TICA is the world’s largest genetic registry of pedigreed cats and the largest registry of household pet cats and kittens. The organization currently recognizes 71 cat breeds.

“We’re very happy to be a part of such a wonderful event that allows animal lovers to meet various dog and cat breeds up close, and learn about them straight from the experts,” said TICA President Vickie Fisher.

The 2019 event marks the tenth AKC Meet the Breeds^® and the fifth year that the event is part of the exciting Westminster Week roster. One daytime ticket will grant event-goers access to both AKC Meet the Breeds^® and the Masters Agility Championship at Westminster. Attendees will be able to interact with almost 200 breeds of dogs and cats in elaborately decorated booths in Piers 92 and 94. Here elements from the breed’s history are provided and attendees will have an opportunity to learn from experts about their breed. AKC Meet the Breeds^® will take place in Piers 92 & 94 from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.

The exciting agility competition takes place all day (Preliminary rounds 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. / Finals 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.) in Pier 94. The finals will being televised on the FOX Broadcast Network Sunday, February 10 from 2-4:30 p.m. ET.

In addition to Meet & Compete on Saturday, February 9^th, Westminster Week events include the iconic 143rd Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on Monday and Tuesday, February 11-12 and the 4^th Annual Masters Obedience Championship at Westminster on Monday, February 11. All events are presented by Purina^® Pro Plan^®, which is dedicated to helping dogs of all activity levels excel through performance nutrition and expert resources.

To purchase tickets for Meet & Compete and find additional information about the event, visit www.westminsterkennelclub.org.

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