Purina Supports Canine Health Research with Donation to AKC Canine Health Foundation

The AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the health of all dogs and their owners, announces that Purina has donated $99,230 to support canine health research. The donation was raised through the Purina Parent Club Partnership (PPCP) Program.

The PPCP Program enables Purina Pro Club members to earn Purina Points by purchasing qualifying Purina pet foods and submitting proofs of purchase. Based on the accrual of Purina Points, an annual donation from Purina is shared between Purina Pro Club members’ designated parent breed club and that breed club’s Donor Advised Fund at CHF. Since it began in 2002, PPCP has provided more than $8.6 million for canine health research, breed rescue and educational efforts to positively impact the general health and well-being of dogs.

As Ann Viklund, Purina Director of Conformation and CHF Board Secretary, retires, her seat on the CHF Board of Directors will be filled by Scott Smith, Managing Director of the Purina Professional Engagement Team. Long-standing CHF board member Dr. Duane Butherus will take over as Board Secretary.

“Ms. Viklund’s contributions to CHF and its mission over the past decade have been immeasurable,” said Dr. Darin Collins, CHF Chief Executive Officer. “We wish her all the best in retirement and know that dogs will continue to enrich her life during this next chapter.”

“We are proud to begin the 20th year of the PPCP Program,” Smith said. “The program’s success is tied to the commitment of dog breeders and owners who choose to support their breed’s health through PPCP and CHF-funded research. The shared goals and collaborative efforts of Purina and CHF are providing a healthy future for all dogs.”

Additional collaborations between these two organizations include Purina’s sponsorship of CHF’s biennial National Parent Club Canine Health Conference (akcchf.org/npcchc) and the sale of engraved bricks at the Event Center at Purina Farms in Gray Summit, MO (akcchf.org/brick). Corporate partnerships and collaborations like that between CHF and Purina allow combined resources to have an even greater impact on canine health.