AKC is proud to announce that the fourth annual AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day will be held on Saturday, September 16th. The goal of the initiative is to educate first-time dog owners about the responsibilities of dog ownership and help current owners enhance their relationships with their pets. The Canine Legislation department wants to encourage our legislative liaisons to take this one step further and educate community members and elected officials about legislative issues that affect dog owners.

With the recent challenges we faced around the country regarding the spread of breed-specific legislation and the enactment of mandatory spay/neuter in Los Angeles County, CA, fanciers are aware that we need to educate the public in order to preserve our rights as dog owners. Use this event to host a table educating community members about the ineffectiveness of breed specific legislation. Or highlight the benefits that local breeders provide to the community.

Inviting elected officials, such as your local mayor or city councilmember to the event is also a good way to educate them about the sport of purebred dogs, and about all the good things that dog clubs do in the community.

The Canine Legislation department is happy to provide your club with legislative materials to distribute at these events. Please contact us at doglaw@akc.org if your club would like to use this opportunity to impact legislation in your community.

To learn more about AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day, sign up to hold an event or view photos and information about previous years' events, please visit the AKC RDO Day section of our website.