Results Revealed: Dog Lovers Make Their Bark Heard In Nationwide ’Pet Preference’ Poll

-- Chicago, Seattle and Detroit Go to the Dogs
While Baltimore, Philadelphia and Houston Are the Cat’s Meow --

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.