- The Royal Kennel Membership formally launches with the UK’s largest-ever Canine Census, inviting each canine proprietor to form the way forward for canine well being and wellbeing
- Crufts evolves right into a year-round neighborhood for canine lovers and house owners, welcoming canines of all breeds and backgrounds from pedigree to rescue canines
- To mark the event, a particular 21-dog salute image, taken at Windsor Citadel, was commissioned to rejoice a number of the nation’s favorite breeds
- The RKC extends a long time of analysis and schooling programmes, and hundreds of thousands in funding, to profit all canines throughout the UK
London, 25 November 2025: The Kennel Membership, the UK’s oldest and most revered canine organisation, is getting into a brand new period. Following the honour of being granted the Royal prefix by His Majesty The King in 2023, it formally relaunches as The Royal Kennel Membership (RKC).
To mark the event, The Kennel Membership commissioned a particular ’21-dog salute’ exterior Windsor Citadel, that includes a number of the UK’s most beloved, celebrated and susceptible canine breeds together with a couple of acquainted faces.
For the primary time in its 150-year historical past, the organisation can be increasing its focus from pedigree canines to all canines within the UK, marking essentially the most important transformation in its historical past. Central to this evolution is the launch of the UK’s largest-ever Canine Census, the reinvention of Crufts as a year-round neighborhood for canine lovers and house owners, and the extension of the RKC’s famend well being programmes to profit each canine.
A census for each canine in Britain
The RKC is inviting each canine proprietor in Britain, no matter breed, to participate within the UK’s largest-ever Canine Census, a landmark venture that may form the way forward for canine well being, possession, and wellbeing. The venture will construct on insights from the greater than three million pedigree canines already served by the organisation.
As the primary main initiative of the RKC’s new chapter, the Census will accumulate invaluable information on canines’ well being, behaviour, life-style, and wellbeing, guiding scientific analysis, supporting new initiatives, and informing the event of companies by means of the RKC and its year-round Crufts neighborhood.
Crufts: A year-round neighborhood for all canines and their house owners
For the primary time, Crufts, the world’s most well-known canine present organised yearly by the RKC, will evolve right into a digital neighborhood accessible to all canines and their house owners. Whereas the present stays a spotlight, the brand new platform will function year-round, assembly the wants of all canine house owners by means of a spread of latest merchandise companies, all designed to help canines and their house owners daily of the 12 months.
The platform will launch in February 2026, with pre-registration opening right now, 25 November. For extra data and to hitch the ready listing please go to: www.crufts.com/cruftsclub
Increasing a long time of canine well being experience
Over its lengthy historical past, the RKC has invested hundreds of thousands into analysis, schooling, and well being programmes for pedigree canines. The Well being Check Outcomes Finder, accessed by over 4 million individuals yearly, helps house owners and breeders make knowledgeable choices, whereas the organisation’s complete proof base attracts on over 4,000 analysis papers throughout 222 breeds. These assets, together with greater than 1.5 million screening outcomes overlaying hip, elbow, eye, coronary heart, spinal, and respiratory situations, and over 100 DNA exams, will now profit all canines within the UK.
Additional to this, constructing on the Well being Normal for pedigree canines launched this 12 months, the RKC may even lengthen this steerage to non-pedigree canines in 2026, serving to breeders make evidence-based choices forward of breeding that defend canine well being and wellbeing.
21-Canine Salute
The 21 Canine Salute picture options lots of the UK’s a lot love breeds, together with a Jack Russell Terrier, Crufts legends, and even the present Dulux canine, all coming collectively to rejoice the Membership’s new chapter. The canines have been all sourced from the Kennel Membership neighborhood with all contributors volunteering their time, some travelling a protracted distance, to participate within the very particular (and a bit of chaotic) photoshoot.
Jannine Edgar, CEO of The Royal Kennel Membership, says, “It is a landmark second for canines within the UK. Turning into The Royal Kennel Membership is not only an honour, it’s a accountability to uphold requirements not simply of canines however for canines. We’re opening our doorways wider than ever earlier than, inviting each canine proprietor to be a part of a motion that places canine well being, happiness, and inclusion at its coronary heart. The Canine Census, the evolution of Crufts, and our expanded well being programmes are just the start. Each canine issues, and collectively, we will form a greater future for all of them.”
“The granting of the Royal prefix, and the 21-dog salute tribute, displays the deep and enduring bond between canines and other people, together with generations of Royalty; a relationship The Kennel Membership has proudly championed for 150 years and is worked up to proceed for generations of canines to come back.”
Participate within the UK Canine Census at www.royalkennelclub.com or www.crufts.com and assist guarantee all canines profit from the Royal Kennel Membership’s experience and programmes.
