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CA Ear Cropping Ban Considered Once Again
Many concerned fanciers are by now aware that officials in West
Hollywood, California are considering a city ordinance to ban ear
cropping, tail docking and other non-therapeutic measures. AKC has
been actively working with California fanciers and parent clubs to
oppose the measure. The California Veterinary Medical Association
(CVMA) shared AKC's concern over the proposed ordinance because they
believe it to be in violation of the state's Veterinary Medical
Practice Act. The Act clearly states that local governments cannot
enact legislation that is already regulated by a state agency, as is
the case with veterinary medicine. Questions were raised as to
whether passage of West Hollywood's proposal could result in legal
challenges against the city.
Read the full article.
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ARKANSAS - Officials in Hot Springs recently voted in favor of
an ordinance that prohibits the adoption of "pit bulls" and pit bull
mixes from animal shelters. The new law also prevents the purchase of
the breed from pet stores or breeders. AKC had no prior knowledge
that the measure was being considered.
See news from other states.
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Help Celebrate Responsible Dog Ownership
Where will you be on September 17th? Hopefully, you'll be joining
the AKC and affiliated dog clubs and federations across the country
in our annual celebration of Responsible Dog Ownership Day. Now in
its third year, the event commemorates the day the American Kennel
Club was founded in 1884 and aims to educate the public about the
importance of responsible dog ownership.
RDO Day events are a great way for Legislative Liaisons,
fanciers, and general dog owners to reach out to their communities,
as well as to their elected officials, in a positive way. Good will
and good publicity can make the world of difference the next time
animal control concerns arise in your community. Better still,
teaching owners how to be responsible with their pets can actually
help avoid negative legislation! And with celebrations going on
throughout the month of September, there's no end to the
possibilities of events that can be held. For more information on
how you can participate, please
click here.
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And the Award Goes To . . .
The Canine Legislation Department is pleased to announce that the
Whidbey Island Kennel Club and Walla Walla Kennel Club (both in
Washington state) are the most recent AKC Community Achievement Award
recipients. The award recognizes outstanding public education and
legislation efforts of AKC-affiliated clubs, AKC-recognized
federations, and their members. Each honoree receives a certificate
and a $1,000 check payable to the club or federation to support
public education and canine legislation efforts.
Read the full article.
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New Face in Canine Legislation
The Canine Legislation department is pleased to welcome Sarah Sprouse
as our new Program Administrator. She replaces Kortni Campbell, who
recently resigned. Sarah brings with her a wealth of public policy
experience, having served as staff to numerous California state
legislators. More recently, she worked for North Carolina Victory
2004 where she coordinated get-out-the-vote efforts in Wake County.
A graduate of University of California Davis, Sarah is the proud
owner of two Pugs.
Sarah will be responsible for managing all of AKC's legislative
concerns at the city and county level. Please join me in welcoming
her!
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February may have been a short month, but more than a fair share of
animal-related bills were introduced in those 28 days.
Breed-specific measures are now being considered in several states,
while breeder licensing measures are pending in Illinois, Vermont and
Tennessee. In addition, California's deadline for bill filing came
and went, bringing with it a proposal to ban ear cropping in the
state, as well as several other bills of concern. Please see our
feature article
as well as
Around the Nation
for more details.
On a positive note, fanciers have been working diligently to
oppose many restrictive measures. Significant victories have already
been posted in several states, particularly on the BSL front. At the
same time, several federations, including those in Georgia, New
Mexico and New York are actively supporting positive legislative
initiatives that would help protect dog owners' rights. It seems
that despite the never-ending amount of work to be done, fanciers
always rise to the challenge.
Also this month, the Canine Legislation department bids a fond
farewell to Kortni Campbell, our former Program Administrator who
recently resigned. In her place, we welcome Sarah Sprouse, who will
be your new contact on all city and county initiatives. Best wishes
to both Kortni and Sarah.
Regards,
Stephanie Lane
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