Dear AKC constituency,

AKC Staff has been able to contact Nestlé Purina. Contrary to a number of social media posts, they do not have a factory in Ukraine, but we learned today they do have factories in Poland and Hungary. As a result, their European Purina team is taking the lead on this initiative. We obtained information from the office of Mark Schneider, CEO of Nestlé Purina regarding their ongoing efforts to help the dog community. He states:

"Through our parent company Nestlé, we are working with local Red Cross organizations and food banks across Europe to send donations of food and beverages to those in need, and to hospitals. Our pet food businesses are also providing support. For example, in Poland, Purina is working with our long-standing partner Foundation VIVA! Action for Animals and has supplied them with twenty-one tonnes of pet food for Ukraine. From Romania we are donating 35 tonnes of pet food to Banca de Alimente, (an NGO Food Bank) to reach displaced people and their pets near their borders.

"We are also providing from Poland, Norway and Sweden approximately six tonnes of pet food to border crossings points to support people who have entered Poland with their pets and are in the process of coordinating further pet food donations centrally from our closest factories to Ukraine in Poland and Hungary."

In addition, the “Peace for Ukraine” apparel being offered on AKC’s store has generated $9,600 of profit over the past two days which is being donated in its entirety and we will continue to do so. The donation is being given to Casa lui Patrocle animal rescue — located 25 miles outside of Ukraine — offering shelter, veterinary care and emergency assistance to anyone crossing the border with pets.

We will continue to keep our fancy updated as facts become available.

- Dennis B. Sprung, President and CEO, AKC