The one million parade spectators enjoyed watching a group of over 30 marchers and 13 furry friends including the Bergamasco, an ancient shepherding breed with a striking coat of dense, flat mats that reach the ground; the Lagotto Romagnolo, a dog from Northwest Italy with thick curly hair and a history dating back to the 16th century and the only two native Italian gun-dog breeds, the Bracco Italiano and Spinone Italiano.

"We are so pleased to have taken part in this wonderful New York City tradition," said Gina DiNardo, spokesperson for the AKC and the Meet the Breeds event. "Parade spectators enjoyed seeing these four-legged marchers in amongst the 35,000 people, while the owners of these dogs were proud to celebrate their heritage and invite those who want to learn more to visit these dogs at the Javits Center this weekend."

Meet the Breeds is the world's largest showcase of dogs and cats and will be held on October 17-18, 2009, at the Javits Center in New York City. From the Afghan Hound to the Turkish Angora, the event will showcase both AKC registered dog breeds and Cat Fanciers' Association registered cat breeds in booths individually decorated to depict each breed's country of origin, historical purpose/function, and attributes as a family pet. The family-friendly event is an opportunity for potential pet owners to interact with responsible breeders and play with dogs and cats while educating themselves about responsible pet ownership and choosing the right pet for their lifestyle. Event hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Tickets allow admittance for one day and can be purchased at www.meetthebreeds.com.

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New York, NY- In honor of Meet the Breeds™ presented by PetPartners, Inc., the American Kennel Club® (AKC) and Cat Fanciers' Association® (CFA) will release packs of pet impersonators – people donning life-like dog and cat masks – on to New York City streets on Wednesday, October 14th. Dressed as dog breeds like the Pug, Beagle and Great Pyrenees, and cat breeds such as the Siamese, Egyptian Mau and Persian, the teams will take off from a press event at the Affinia Hotel and hoof it to both human hot spots and doggie havens such as Grand Central, Times Square, Central Park and area dog runs.

With the event running just one weekend, the five teams of three will be making sure that every feline fan and doggie-devotee in the five boroughs and beyond knows about the world's largest dog and cat breed showcase happening at the Javits Center on October 17th & 18th. The masked marauders – with real live canines at their side – will hand out free photo-frame magnets and introduce the public to just some of the pooches they'll encounter at the Meet the Breeds event itself.

"While the masked teams will be quite a sight, it's always the real dogs that steal the show," said Gina DiNardo, spokeswoman for Meet the Breeds. "With breeds such as the Ibizan Hound, Tibetan Mastiff and Spinone Italiano on hand, I expect that we are going to slow down more than a few commuters who can't resist meeting these unusual and beautiful dogs!"

The Meet the Breeds press preview at the Affinia Manhattan Hotel (31st and 7th Avenue) is from 10 am - Noon on Wednesday, October 14th and will include numerous photo opportunities and highlights of the activities that will take place at Meet the Breeds. Following the preview, a Bloodhound will sniff out the route from Penn Station to the Javits Center, as he searches for a venue large enough to hold the world's largest showcase of cats and dogs.

For more information on Meet the Breeds or to purchase tickets, visit www.meetthebreeds.com . Purchase your tickets now to ensure the pre-event price of $10 for adults and $6 for children 12 and under.

You can also follow the street teams and all Meet the Breeds news online at Facebook , Twitter and MySpace .

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New York, NY – While both cats and dogs have been our faithful companions for centuries, it turns out that dog owners bark louder that cat owners purr when it comes to voicing their love for their pets, according the results of the "Pet Preference" poll on www.meetthebreeds.com.

Inspired by the upcoming Meet the Breeds™ event, the world's largest showcase of cats and dogs, the American Kennel Club® (AKC) and the Cat Fanciers' Association® (CFA) joined forces this summer to put an end to the age old debate over who is the most beloved pet of all – dogs or cats.

In a last minute surge, cat lovers tried to claw their way to the top, but couldn't drown out the loud bark of dog lovers. More than 9,000 pet lovers cast their ballot over the eight-week debate. While cat owners outnumber dogs by nearly 13 million among the pet-owning public, dogs fetched 65% of the vote while cats caught 35% of the poll. Dogs led the pack by the widest margin in Chicago (69%), Seattle (69%) and Detroit (69%) while cat-lovers' purred loudly in Baltimore (45%), Philadelphia (41%) and Houston (41%). Official results, including a run-down of results in the metro areas with the top votes -- New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Philadelphia, Portland, Houston, Dallas, Raleigh, Detroit, Atlanta, San Francisco, Denver, Phoenix, and Baltimore – can be found online at www.meetthebreeds.com.

During the voting process, cat and dog lovers both posed convincing arguments for their preferred pet.

Cat lovers said:

* "Cats don't hang all over you wanting attention…they don't eat disgusting things and then try to lick your face." – Sheryl Woods
* "Cats don't have to be walked and they don't bark!" – Terri Ford
* "Cats are much easier to live with – with much less work. Don't have to be walked, go outside, and are quiet." – Sheila Ullmann

Dog lovers said:

* "While I voted for cats, I really do love dogs, particularly my dog Salukis because he reminds me of cats of course." – Chris Moore
* "Cats have to have do-over lives because they didn't figure out how to have fun the first time around." – Marilyn Finley
* "Dogs walk around with a smile as man's best friend and are always there for us." – Kelly Smith

Sponsored by PetPartners, Inc. a leading pet healthcare provider, Meet the Breeds will be held October 17 & 18, 2009 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. From the Afghan Hound to the Turkish Angora, the event will showcase 160 AKC registered dog breeds and 41 CFA registered cat breeds in booths individually decorated to depict each breed's country of origin, historical purpose/function, and attributes as a family pet. The family-friendly event is an opportunity for potential pet owners to interact with responsible breeders and play with dogs and cats while educating themselves about responsible pet ownership and choosing the right pet for their lifestyle.

Event hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both Saturday, October 17, and Sunday, October 18. Tickets at a special pre-event price ($10 for adults and $6 for kids) are available now at www.meetthebreeds.com.

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Alex King, owner of www.pet-insurance-comparison.net, says: "With the recession still affecting most people it is crucial to keep an eye on your outgoings, which is why it's important to get the right pet insurance cover. Getting the wrong cover could cost thousands. "

Comparing financial products of any kind has increased in popularity over recent times. The start of the recession further increases their attractiveness but it's not just about price.

King says: "Comparing insurance on price alone is not a good idea. It is imperative to ensure your pet gets the right cover first and foremost, which is why I set up this website. "

www.pet-insurance-comparison.net compares pet insurance for those who are deciding whether to take out insurance or those shopping for a new deal.

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New York, NY– American Kennel Club® (AKC) and Cat Fanciers' Association® (CFA) announced today that Meet the Breeds™ Chairperson, Gina DiNardo, will ring the NASDAQ opening bell on October 14th 2009 on behalf of leading toymaker and NASDAQ Member Company, JAKKS Pacific (NASDAQ: JAKK). JAKKS is a licensee of the AKC and CFA and is a sponsor of the upcoming Meet the Breeds event.

AKC and CFA's Meet the Breeds, held October 17 & 18 at the Javits Center in NYC, is the world's largest showcase of cats and dogs. The event offers cat and dog lovers the rare opportunity to meet nearly 200 breeds and interact with dogs, cats, puppies and kittens.

DiNardo will be joined by the Cat Fanciers' Association and American Kennel Club, including CFA President Pam DelaBar and AKC President Dennis Sprung. In addition to being broadcast on national business television at 9:30 am ET, the bell-ringing ceremony will be webcast live on NASDAQ's website (http://www.nasdaq.com/about/marketsitetowervideo.asx) and on the NASDAQ MarketSite Tower in New York City's Times Square.

"We are honored to ring the NASDAQ opening bell on behalf of our close partner, AKC and CFA pet toymaker, JAKKS Pacific," said DiNardo."JAKKS has created an array of top-notch pet products that strengthen the bond between pet owners and their faithful companions."

For more information about Meet the Breeds, visit www.meetthebreeds.com.

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Under the banner 'Say No To Dot. Gone' Easyspace will donate 5 pence for every domain name it sells over the next six months to elephant family, the only UK charity dedicated to the plight of the endangered Asian elephant.

Easyspace, which is part of Glasgow-based hosting company iomart Group Ltd, is the UK's third largest domain name registrar, registering thousands of domain names each month. Elephant family is the charity set up by Mark Shand, the conservationist and brother of HRH the Duchess of Cornwall, to protect the Asian elephant.

Errol Vanderhorst, managing director of Easyspace said: 'Easyspace has been associated with the Asian elephant ever since we adopted it as our company logo back in 2002. Concern about the destruction of its habitat led us to thinking about what practical steps could we take to raise awareness of its plight.'

'As a domain name provider, we felt that the term 'Dot.Gone' tied us in perfectly with the Asian elephant's fight for survival. If we do not act now there is a very real possibility that the Asian Elephant will be extinct in the wild within the next forty years.'

Errol added: 'It's the important work that elephant family does in preserving the Asian elephant's natural domain that has made it such a perfect partner and recipient for the funds raised through our 'Domain Names for a Domain' campaign.'

The campaign was launched under the watchful eye of Sir Roger, the famous Asian elephant which is one of Culture & Sport Glasgow's most popular exhibits at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. The six month campaign will culminate in Easyspace sponsoring an elephant at next spring's Elephant Parade in London.

Elephant family is a young but hugely ambitious charity which has raised £3 million so far to support projects across India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Its activities range from securing vital wildlife 'corridors' and helping remote farming communities to live safely inside wild elephant territory to rescuing abused street elephants and providing free veterinary care.

Ruth Powys, director of elephant family said:' The Domain Names for a Domain campaign is the perfect public symmetry for what we are trying to do as a charity. The money Easyspace raise will help us to buy up land to connect two forest fragments in Kerala in India to create an elephant corridor. We are so excited to have their support.'

The Asian elephant is classified as an endangered species. Its population has plummeted during the last century from 200,000 to just 30,000, with 60 per cent of those losses happening in the last decade. Its habitat, which once stretched from China to Syria, is now some 169,885 square miles (approximately the same size as Tunisia) due to human encroachment on its domain, loss of habitat and poaching.

A special 'Say No To Dot. Gone' campaign has been created for Twitter and you can show your support for the campaign by following either Easyspace (twitter.com/easyspace) or elephant family (twitter.com/elephantfamily)

Regular updates on the plight of the Asian elephant can be found on the elephant family's Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/elephantfamily?ref=nf)

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