Join the Akita Club of America

Thinking about becoming a member of the Akita Club of America?

Welcome to The Akita Club of America, your best source of information about Akitas. We welcome new Akita owners as well as those who have had Akitas for many years. We are the primary guardian of the breed standard and code of ethics, and are deeply committed to protecting and improving the breed in America.

Our responsibility is to promote the health, temperament, conformation, soundness, and natural abilities of the Akita. Our members are dedicated to responsible breeding and ownership of the Akita. We advance and protect the interests of the breed through events like Meet the Breed at dog shows, education, health research and Akita rescue.

Our ACA members benefit from access to health information, mentors (we call them Akita Coaches), regional and national specialty show information, news about therapy, various performance and sporting activities, great Akita shopping on our website, and monthly updates full of information about our dogs and their accomplishments.

As an ACA member, you’ll have opportunities to support veterinary health research and Akita rescue operations, and to get to know and assist other Akita owners near you.

As an active ACA member, you’ll also join a community that shares your passion for the Akita breed, discover opportunities to be involved, and meet outstanding Akitas and their people. You will develop friendships through volunteer opportunities – all aimed at improving the organization and the breed.
Join us!

ELECTION TO MEMBERSHIP:

The application process has routinely taken approximately three (3) months from the time we receive an application to the time an applicant is accepted into membership. We are currently working on ways to reduce that timeline to under 2 months. When the Vice President (VP) receives a digital application, he/she determines that it is in order with required fees submitted, and if so, notifies the named sponsors and requests their statements. The VP then presents all completed applications to the Board and the membership via email. Approximately 2 weeks later, the completed applications are sent by email for a second time. The membership and the Board at this point have had approximately one month to review and comment on any of the applicants, and, if they choose, to file objections. If there are no objections, the VP calls for a Board vote on each applicant, and within a week notifies the applicants of the action taken. In the event the Board fails to meet within four weeks of the second notice from the VP, he/she will call for a Board vote by email.

If there are objections to an applicant, the Board declares itself in Executive Session, and may contact any of: the applicant, the sponsors, the person or persons filing the objection, in order to gather enough information to make an informed decision. When this process is complete, the VP calls for a Board vote, and notifies the applicant of the action taken.

Shortly after an applicant is accepted into ACA, they will receive an email welcoming them to the ACA, and containing miscellaneous Club information, including how to contact their Regional Representative, and how to be added to the National and Regional email groups. They will start receiving the ACA newsletter, The Update, by email, and will also begin receiving information regarding the National Specialty Show and Annual Meeting of the General Membership.

To ensure that your application is processed without delay, please read and follow the instructions on the application website. You will receive an email verifying that your application was received, and if your sponsors fail to respond within a reasonable time, you may be requested to contact them directly, or to secure different sponsorship.

If you have questions or need help locating ACA members or a local Akita Club in your area, please contact ACA's Region Representativefor your area. If you would like additional information regarding health, breeder referral, genetics, education, etc., please contact the individual Committee Chairperson.

This application form must be completed in full before processing will occur<.