Dogs And Cats Take Over NYC With Westminster Kennel Club And American Kennel Club's Meet & Compete

NEW YORK, Jan. 31, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Westminster Kennel Club and American Kennel Club (AKC^®) present Meet & Compete, a fun-filled, educational event that features AKC Meet the Breeds^® and the 4^th Annual Masters Agility Championship at Westminster brought to you by Purina^® Pro Plan^®. The joint event takes place in New York City on Saturday, February 11^th at Piers 92 and 94. 

This year, the event welcomes the return of cats to AKC Meet the Breeds^® with The International Cat Association^® (TICA^®), giving animal lovers the opportunity to interact with over 150 breeds of dogs and cats in elaborately decorated booths that depict fun elements from the breed's history and talk to experts about each breed, as well as see the exciting Agility competition taking place in Pier 94.

"AKC Meet The Breeds is a unique event that gives the public something that they can find nowhere else," says Gina DiNardo, Vice President of the American Kennel Club. "Families can interact with several dog and cat breeds, talk to knowledgeable breeders and find the right pet to fit their lifestyle, all while having fun."

The 2017 event marks the eighth AKC Meet the Breeds^® , the return of TICA and the third 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.  

The agility competition takes place all day (Preliminary rounds 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. / Finals 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.) in Pier 94, with the finals being televised on FOX Sports 1 Sunday, February 12 from 8-10 p.m. ET. AKC Meet the Breeds^®  will take place in Piers 92 & 94 from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.

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

About Meet the Breeds:
From Afghan Hounds to the Turkish Van and everything in between, AKC Meet the Breeds® is brought to you by exclusive pet care sponsor Purina Pro Plan. The eighth annual event gives pet lovers the unique opportunity to meet and play with more than 150 different dog and cat 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 pet ownership and which breeds may be right for them. Event sponsors include AKC Pet Insurance, Motel 6, Pet Brands, Inc., BH Pet Gear, and ShowSight Magazine. For more information, visit www.akc.org/meetthebreeds.

About Westminster Kennel Club:
The Westminster Kennel Club is America's oldest organization dedicated to the sport of purebred dogs. Established in 1877, Westminster's influence has been felt for more than a century through its famous all-breed, benched dog show held every year at New York City's Madison Square Garden. Today, America's dog show has expanded into Westminster Week which includes the Masters Agility Championship at Westminster and the Masters Obedience Championship at Westminster at Piers 92 /94. More than 3,000 dogs from the US and abroad makes Westminster Week like no other. Westminster. There's only one. Visit us at:  www.westminsterkennelclub.org, @WKCDogs

About Purina Pro Plan:
Purina Pro Plan is the food of choice for the past 10 Westminster Best in Show winners*. Our goal is to give your dog the nutrition to be his absolute best, helping him to be energetic and resilient, and maintain an ideal body condition, healthy skin, and a stunning coat. Because being the best he can be means something different for every dog, our wide range of dry and wet foods and snacks, sold exclusively at pet specialty stores, can be found in five specialized categories formulated for a dog's unique needs. For more information, visit www.proplan.com or follow @ProPlan on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or Google+. The brand is manufactured by Nestle Purina PetCare, which promotes responsible pet care, humane education, community involvement, and the positive bond between people and their pets. A premiere global manufacturer of pet products, Nestle Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestle S.A., a global leader in nutrition, health, and wellness.

*The handler or owners of these champions may have received Purina Pro Plan dog food as Purina ambassadors.

About TICA:
TICA^®, The International Cat Association^® is the world's largest genetic registry of pedigreed and household pet cats, the first and now the world's largest–registry to allow household cats of unknown ancestry to compete for the same titles and awards as pedigreed cats. The responsible breeding of pedigreed cats preserves the distinct characteristics of individual pedigreed breeds and ensures the continuation of predictable physical and behavioral traits for future generations. TICA is headquartered in Harlingen, TX, and administers the rules licensing and management of hundreds of cat shows annually across the globe in 104 countries. TICA and its members work together to promote the preservation of pedigreed cats and the health and welfare of ALL domestic cats through education, responsible cat ownership, and proper care to the owners of millions of cats worldwide. TICA currently recognizes 63 breeds of cats.
Wherever you are, you're in TICA's world. Fabulous felines…fun...and friendships.
To learn about TICA  www.tica.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheInternationalCatAssociation

The American Kennel Club, founded in 1884, is a not-for-profit organization which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function.  Along with its more than 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 22,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Reunite and the AKC Museum of the Dog.  For more information, visit www.akc.org.

AKC, American Kennel Club, the American Kennel Club seal and design, and all associated marks and logos are trademarks, registered trademarks and service marks of The American Kennel Club, Inc.

To become a fan of the AKC on Facebook, go to http://www.facebook.com/americankennelclub. To follow the AKC on Twitter, go to http://www.twitter.com/akcdoglovers.

SOURCE American Kennel Club

Related Links

http://www.akc.org/