This Years Meet The Breeds, Don't Miss It

American Kennel Club and Cat Fanciers' Association Name Your Neighborhood Cats and Dogs




- AKC and CFA Uncover What Your Neighborhood Really Says About You -

From the affluent ladies who lunch on the Upper East Side to the authentic Italian culture of Little Italy, the various neighborhoods of New York City have very distinct characteristics.

Inspired by New York City's October 16 & 17 Meet the Breeds event™, the world's largest showcase of cats and dogs, the American Kennel Club (AKC®) and the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA®) searched through the unique personalities and traits of more than 200 dog and cat breeds to determine the best fit for the personality and character of each New York City neighborhood. Weigh in and cast your vote now at www.meetthebreeds.com by clicking "Vote Now," or go to AOL PawNation and make your voice heard. Among them:

Upper East Side – Affluent residents, "ladies who lunch," high society, style-conscious.

Dog Breed: The Poodle is known for its glamorous looks and the serious grooming needed to maintain them. While their coat does require frequent grooming, their intelligence more than makes up for the extra care.

Cat Breed: The American Curl, with fancy curled ears perched on its head, just screams "I am style-conscious!" Their aloof look with walnut-shaped eyes, and their silky coat, will fit in purr-fectly at any high society luncheon.

Upper West Side – Family-oriented people who take advantage of Central Park.

Dog Breed: The English Springer Spaniel thrives on exercise and training, as those who go running in Central Park do. They are light, lean, and fast, as most sporty types are, and love to chase the birds found in the park. They learn quickly, remember well and make excellent family companions.

Cat Breed: The sleek Oriental needs to exercise to keep its body trim, muscular and hard as a rock! Chasing toys keeps them happy – almost as happy as when they are curled up in your lap for a long nap.

The Village - Bohemian, struggling artists-types.

Dog Breed: The Brussels Griffon is known for being highly intelligent and sensitive, with a very expressive face. The breed is also known as a bearded dog which can be compared to the unshaven, struggling artist.

Cat Breed: Selkirk Rex, with their plush and loosely curled coats, fit right into a Bohemian lifestyle. Especially the longhairs, who look like they are always having a bad hair day and are definitely not for the uptight and organized pet owner.

Chelsea - Effeminate nature, stylish and groomed to perfection.

Dog Breed: The Dandie Dinmont Terrier's structured appearance requires professional grooming to keep him looking perfect. But don't let his big dark eyes and fluffy head of curls fool you. This is a confident, intelligent and independent little Terrier.

Cat Breed: Minimal grooming is necessary for the Cornish Rex. Their soft coat automatically falls into meticulous "Marcel" waves. Looks shouldn't deceive you, though, as this breed is very alert and active.

Little Italy – Known for its authentic Italian culture.

Dog Breed: The Italian Greyhound makes the name "Little Italy" true to life. The breed is very small and a native of Italy. This breed is very affectionate and loves being with his family, which is reminiscent of Italian family life.

Cat Breed: The Singapura is about as far from being "Little Italy" as one can get, yet their small stature and ticked coat is much admired. Singapuras are well-known to love their people and if you own more than one, they are often found curled up all together in a heap.

Brooklyn – The 94-year-old Coney Island institution, Nathan's Hot Dogs.

Dog Breed: The Dachshund is commonly known as a "hot dog" because of its long and low body which resembles a frankfurter.

Cat Breed: The Havana Brown has a glistening mahogany-toned coat color. They'd just as soon eat your hot dog as let you have it! The Havana Brown can be called a "chocolate delight without the calories."

Staten Island - Best known for the Staten Island Ferry.

Dog Breed: The Newfoundland is at home in the water and has always worked hauling in heavy fishing nets and carrying life lines to sinking ships in dangerous waters to save lives.

Cat Breed: The Turkish Van loves the water! In their native region they are commonly called 'the swimming cats." Their coloring is unique because of the always white body with colored markings confined to the head and tail.

Long Island - The lavish life of the wealthy who summer in the Hamptons.

Dog Breed: The Shih Tzu is elegant, charming, aristocratic and was cherished by royals. They also need plenty of grooming. Shih Tzus have a long, flowing, beautiful coat that requires daily brushing.

Cat Breed: The Birman is well suited to the lifestyle of the rich and famous. Believed to have originated in Burma, the Birman was the sacred, the companion cat of the Kittah priests.

Learn more about these breeds and place your vote online at www.meetthebreeds.com by clicking "Vote Now" or at AOL PawNation for the dog and cat breed that best represents your New York neighborhood. Polls close October 4. Log onto www.meetthebreeds.com to find out what dog and cat America chose as the best match for New York. Take the Meet the Breeds Survey and tell us what your dog or cat means to you.

The Meet the Breeds event will give pet lovers a chance to meet all of these breeds and more this October 16th and 17th. The family-friendly event will feature more than 200 dog and cat breed booths individually decorated depicting the history of the breed—Giant Mastiffs in a medieval castle, Norwegian Elkhounds on a Viking ship, and Russian Blue cats in an Imperial Palace are only a few of the booths that were at last year's event—and give potential pet owners the chance to play with dogs and cats in person and learn about responsible ownership from the experts.

Tickets allow admittance for one day and can be purchased online at www.meetthebreeds.com.

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About Meet the Breeds -- With 160 dog breeds and 41 cat breeds, plus demonstrations, shopping and children's activities, no pet lover will want to miss Meet the Breeds. Each breed will be presented in its own designated space, decorated to reflect its heritage, characteristics and unique attributes as a pet, while allowing attendees to literally "Meet the Breeds" by petting dogs, cats, puppies and kittens and learning about them directly from the experts. The event is proudly presented by PetPartners, Inc., a leading pet healthcare provider, and will feature more than 120,000 square feet of dog and cat festivities. Sponsors include Invisible Fence® Brand; Pet Brands, Inc.; P&G Pet Care, Iams; Motel 6; ADT Security Services, Inc.; LubriSyn CA; AOL PawNation; Hill's Science Diet Small & Toy Breed dog food; TD Bank, N.A.; American Pet Products Association; Dog.com; GoPetFriendly.com; Dr. Elsey's Precious Cat Litters; Paramount Chemical Specialties, Inc.; Royal Canin; Petmate; Pet Airways®; JAKKS Pacific, Inc.; Sturdi Products and World's Best Cat Litter. For more information visit www.meetthebreeds.com.

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 nearly 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 20,000 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 Companion Animal Recovery and the AKC Museum of the Dog. For more information, visit www.akc.org.

The Cat Fanciers' Association, Inc. (CFA) was founded in 1906 as a non-profit association of member clubs and is the world's largest registry of pedigreed cats. CFA's mission is to preserve and promote the pedigreed breeds of cats and to enhance the well-being of ALL cats. CFA promotes education, responsible cat ownership and proper care to the owners of millions of cats worldwide. CFA and its affiliate clubs work nationally with local shelters, at a grassroots level, to help humanely reduce homeless and feral cat populations, and to encourage voluntary neuter/spay of pet cats. To learn more about the Cat Fanciers' Association, the pedigreed breeds of cats, or to find the nearest CFA cat show, visit their web site at www.cfa.org.