Thousands of visitors crowded the space devoted to the Turkish kangal, also called the Anatolian shepherd dog. The stall was operated and designed by Americans who love kangals. Thousands of brochures about the kangal breed were distributed from the stall, which is decorated with Turkish flags. In particular kangals 5-year-old Blue and 1-year-old Mulch have been of interest to visitors all day long.Each dog and cat breed was displayed in its own designated space, decorated to reflect its heritage, characteristics and unique attributes as a pet. The participants were also allowed to interact with the animals by petting them and learning about them directly from experts.
Labeling kangals as “amazing animals,” one of the organizers of the kangal exhibition stand, David Calabro, said he has three kangals. Saying that he has visited Turkey once but never Sivas, Calabro said: “Kangals are very smart dogs. As far as I know there are 5,000 registered kangals in the US. I had a German shepherd for 30 years. Kangals are far more athletic. If a kangal has the ability to protect a herd, then its price is around $2,500 to $3,000. I live in Connecticut, and I have a lot of land. I also plan to purchase a herd [of sheep]. There is a farm in Virginia that breeds kangals, too”
One of the kangals at the stand, Mulch, gets on really well with children, said the dog's owner, Naney Stasyhn, adding that he was looking for a special type of dog and decided to purchase a kangal when she saw the dog. “In fact, I fell in love with these dogs. I would get another one if I had enough space in my house,” Stasyhyn said.
Another shining star of the expo was a 5-year-old Turkish Angora named Silverlock's Phoenix, which has won numerous awards in various competitions. The owner of the cat, Iris Tanner, said she would never sell her cat, even if someone offered her $1 million. “This cat is very special to me and will never be for sale,” Tanner stressed.
“Meet the Breeds” was held at New York's Javits Center over the weekend. There were 160 different breeds of dogs and 41 breeds of cats in the fair, organized by the American Kennel Club and Cat Fanciers' Association.
