AKC Companion Animal Recovery Has Record-setting Month

More that 69,000 pets enrolled in national pet database during the month of March

Raleigh, NC (PRWEB) April 9, 2004 -- Skipper just became a very special dog. The spunky Beagle is just one of a record 69,387 pets that were enrolled in the AKC Companion Animal Recovery (AKC-CAR) database during the month of March. It was the largest single-month enrollment total in the history of AKC-CAR. AKC-CAR is the largest direct-to-owner pet database in the nation, with more than 2.2 million pets enrolled.

Since its founding in 1995, AKC-CAR has more than 193,000 pet recoveries to its credit, recovering a lost pet every nine minutes. Now, thanks to a rice-sized microchip, if Skipper ever becomes lost, he can easily be identified and quickly reunited with his family.

As more and more pet owners become familiar with microchip IDs, it is important that the pets be enrolled in the national AKC-CAR database," said Sue Richey, Director of AKC-CAR. As the nations largest not for profit direct-to-owner pet database, AKC-CAR provides live 24 by 7 by 365 staffing for reporting lost or found pets. This record month indicates that pet owners are taking that very seriously."

The AKC-CAR database contains 34 different species of pets; from dogs and cats to baboons and seals. All are ensured a greater chance of being reunited with their owners, thanks to their microchip and their enrollment in the AKC-CAR database.

Once an enrolled pet is scanned, a shelter or veterinarian can call the National Pet Recovery Hotline (1-800-252-7894) and a Recovery Coordinator can quickly provide contact information about the pets owners.

AKC-CAR has donated $1.5 million toward the distribution of universal scanners to animal shelters across the country, so that every microchipped pet can be identified. AKC-CAR also works with veterinarians and AKC Clubs to sponsor microchipping clinics.

Our goal has always been to eliminate the signs that say 'lost pet," said Dr. Carmen Battaglia, President and CEO of AKC-CAR. Setting this record gets us closer to this goal. We see it as an important service to pet owners across the country."

About the AKC Companion Animal Recovery Program
The American Kennel Club formed the non-profit AKC-CAR program in 1995 as a public service to help pet owners reunite with their lost animals by using a permanent identification process. Partnering with Schering-Plough Animal Health (SPAH), AKC-CAR works with veterinarians, animal shelters and other organizations to enroll as many pets as possible in its database. AKC-CAR is an affiliate of the American Kennel Club and is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. For more information you can visit their website at www.akccar.org, call the National Pet Recovery Hotline at 1-800-252-7894 or email found@akc.org.

Contact:
Graham Wilson
PRStreet, Inc.
1500 Piney Plains Road
Suite 200
Cary, NC 27511
1-888-736-3787
gwilson@prstreet.com