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Responsible Dog Ownership Day

Responsible Dog Ownership Day

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Responsible Dog Ownership Day is a fantastic program created by the American Kennel Club. Basically put, the AKC encourages all dog and pet-relatd organizations to join the AKC in September to commemorate AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day by holding a community event that publicly promotes responsible dog ownership. This event can be held anytime during the month of September.

BUB proudly supports RDOD, and has been privileged to be a part of this Day in a planning capacity as well as participants. We've gathered the following links to encourage Clubs and organizations to get on the bandwagon and host a day of their own this September. Please join us by reading the following articles and tidbits and leaving comments of your own. 

This is the page where you can create your account and gain access to all the prep and planning materials the AKC has to offer. http://www.akc.org/clubs/rdod/

 The AKC page provides some suggestions to help commemorate AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day:

  • ID clinic - Hold an AKC/CAR microchip clinic
  • Rescue information booth
  • Health clinic/health screen testing/First Aid for Dogs
  • Meet the breeds/Find the right dog for you
  • Obedience /Agility / Rally/ Performance demonstrations
  • Therapy/ SAR Dog or Police K9 Unit demonstrations
  • "AKC Safety around Dogs" for kids presentations (in-school or for childrens' groups)
  • A kids contest with awards for best drawings, photos, or essays about dogs
  • AKC Canine Good Citizen test (requires additional kit purchase)
  • Seek sponsorships or donated items from local businesses to be raffled or for contest prizes
  • Raise money to donate/dedicate needed items to local dog park/runs (pooper scoopers, bulletin boards, water fountains, etc.)
  • Fundraising events for AKC Canine Health Foundation
  • Write a letter to the editor of your local newspapers
  • Obtain a proclamation from your Governor, or Mayor, etc.
 

Promoting Your Responsible Dog Ownership Day (RDOD)

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One way to promote your RDOD to local area residents is to obtain a list of current dog owners from your county courthouse. Most counties require dog licences and they keep records of everyone who has registered for a license. In Montgomery County, PA, we were able to obtain a list on cd broken down by zip code for the current year. The cost was approximately $200.00. We understand that some courthouses may provide a hardcopy of the list as a courtesy, but that would mean typing in addresses. More manual labor!

After getting the list, we arranged for a postcard to be sent to all recipients on the list. A sample of the postcard can be viewed below.  For printing the postcards in color, we highly recommend Vistaprint.com the quality is amazing and the price is always right. Of course, you can always purchase postcard material from a local office supply store, or cut an 8 1/2  x 11 in fours. We found, however, that the price was agreeable when compared to man hours. Vistaprint.com will also address your postcards for you if you provide an electronic list.

Flyers on telephone poles in town generate a lot of buzz! Putting the flyer inside a plastic sleeve (the kind they sell at office supply stores) helps the flyer keep it's appeal. Color or flourescent colors are always better. Maybe your committee has access to a couple of color printers - this would be much more cost effective than going to a print shop. Below is a sample of a flyer.

Posters in local stores and gathering areas. We created our own posters to match our theme, but AKC provides generic posters that are very sharp, where all you need to do is put your date, time, and location in with marker. Post these at dog grooming places, dog supply stores, bulletin boards at supermarkets, the local WaWa or 7Eleven (or equivalent small food mart). There are many other places to hang your posters, just get the approval of the store owner first, and make sure it is a high traffic area.

 
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