THE KENNEL Club and the Kennel Club Charitable Trust are giving financial aid to the AKC in the wake of the Hurricane Katrina disaster.

At its meeting on 6th September 2005, the General Committee announced that the Kennel Club will be donating £5,000 to support the American Kennel Club (AKC) in its work to provide relief for the canine victims of Hurricane Katrina. This donation was matched by a further donation of £5,000 from the Kennel Club Charitable Trust.

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the AKC has been working to make contact with delegates, presidents and secretaries of AKC Member and Licensed Clubs in the states affected by the hurricane. The AKC is also working with the Houston Kennel Club and Florida Association of Kennel Clubs to determine whereabouts shelters and staging areas will be established for dogs in need of accommodation, and has set up a relief fund to aid this work.

The AKC is accepting monetary donations to its AKC/CAR Canine Support and Relief Fund online at www.akc.org/donations, or by post via AKC/CAR Canine Support and Relief Fund, American Kennel Club, 260 Madison Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10016-2401, USA.

Kennel Club Secretary Caroline Kisko said: "We were deeply saddened by the news of the hurricane and the significant loss of life, both human and canine. The American Kennel Club has acted quickly to try and alleviate the suffering of the canine victims in this disaster and we are pleased to be able to offer some financial assistance to their invaluable work."