UKC Takes Precautionary Measures Against Canine Influenza at the Premier Dog Show

June 12, 2017

Attention United Kennel Club PREMIER Exhibitors:

UKC will be taking precautionary measures to try minimize the risk of the transmission of any canine disease, including the flu. This includes disinfecting the ring mats and tables every evening, changing our judging procedures so that handlers show their dogs bite and providing anti-microbial cleaning solution available at each ring for any accidents that need to be cleaned. We also have hand sanitizer available for use at each ring and at the superintendents table.

There will be no cooling pools available on the show grounds for dogs this year. Please be sure to take the appropriate steps necessary to make sure your dog does not become overheated.

While we can take steps to minimize the transmission of the disease, there is no guarantee that sickness of any kind will not be transmitted when there are such a large number of dogs sharing a limited amount of space. This is true for any dog event at any time.

Diligence on the part of our exhibitors to control nose to nose contact, picking up your dogs waste and immediately removing a dog from the show site if you believe your dog may be sick or may have been exposed to a dog that was sick, will also be necessary.

Every exhibitor will need to make their own judgement call on whether they want to participate in Premier, knowing that there is no way to completely prevent disease transmission, no matter how many precautionary measures are taken.

We do hope that you decide to participate in the Premier event, however if you feel that it is too great a risk to attend, the UKC absolutely respects your decision and we hope to see you next year!

A Kalamazoo, Michigan-based company founded in 1898, United Kennel Club is the largest all-breed performance-dog registry in the world, registering dogs from all 50 states and 25 foreign countries. Celebrating the unique Total Dog philosophy, UKC events highlight the instincts and heritage of dogs that look and perform equally well, as more than 60 percent of its annually licensed events are tests of hunting ability, training, and instinct. United Kennel Club prides itself on its family-oriented, friendly, educational events, welcoming both purebred dogs and dogs of unknown ancestry.