New York, NY – The American Kennel Club will be teaming with Doyle New York, one of the world’s leading auctioneers, as they host the fifth annual Dogs in Art auction on Tuesday, February 10, 2004. This popular event showcases two centuries of breed portraits, pet portraits and sporting paintings by some of the genre’s most well-known artists. A Dog Brunch on Sunday, February 8 at the Dogs in Art exhibition will benefit DOGNY: America’s Tribute to Search and Rescue Dogs through the American Kennel Club Companion Animal Recovery Corporation (AKC CAR) Canine Support and Relief Fund this year.

Doyle New York invites friends and supporters of AKC to consign their fine paintings, drawings, sculpture, decorations, furniture and other canine-themed objects to the Dogs in Art auction. Doyle will donate a percentage of its consignment commission on these objects to DOGNY, in addition to the proceeds from the brunch.

The Dogs in Art auction will be preceded by a number of special events, including:

¨ Saturday, February 7 at Noon – Dog Walk: A free informal tour of the Dogs in Art exhibition with Alan Fausel of Doyle New York. The tour will include a discussion of the genre of dog paintings using highlights from the exhibition.

¨ Sunday, February 8 at 10am – Dogs in Art Brunch benefiting DOGNY: Art-loving canines and their two legged owners are welcome.

¨ Monday, February 9 at 6pm – Highlights from the American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog: a free slide lecture by museum Executive Director, Barbara Jedda McNab.

¨ Tuesday, February 10 at 1pm – Dogs in Art auction.

All of the events will take place at Doyle New York, located at 175 East 87th Street in Manhattan.

“We are very pleased and honored to work with Doyle,” said Dennis Sprung, AKC Chief Operating Officer. “In choosing to benefit DOGNY this year, Doyle will help AKC CAR and the purebred dog fancy support canine search and rescue organizations throughout the United States, a cause whose importance cannot be overstated in these times.”

DOGNY supports canine search and rescue organizations throughout the United States through the AKC CAR Canine Support and Relief Fund, a 501(c)(3) fund.

To have your paintings and other canine-themed objects considered for the Dogs in Art auction, please mail photographs of the items to:

AKC CAR Dogs
Doyle New York
175 East 87th Street
New York, NY 10128

Digital images may be emailed to AKCCARdogs@DoyleNewYork.com. All submissions should include “AKC CAR Dogs.”

For further information, please call Alan Fausel, Senior Vice President of Paintings and Drawings, Doyle New York, at 212-427-4141, ext. 238. For a review of Doyle New York’s 2003 Dogs in Art auction, go to http://www.DoyleNewYork.com/DogsInArt