The American Kennel Club has been closely monitoring two bills introduced in Tennessee regarding commercial breeding. Due to recent actions by the Tennessee House of Representatives, the AKC has decided to take a neutral position on House Bill 386 in its current form. AKC remains strongly opposed, however, to Senate Bill 258.
As amended by the House Judiciary Committee, House Bill 386 no longer contains the provisions opposed by the AKC in the introduced version of the bill. The amendments to House Bill 386:
- Remove the ownership limit of 75 dogs.
- Require that inspections be conducted during normal business hours and allow a breeder 30 days to correct any violations.
- Remove the provision that allowed for confiscation of animals.
The American Kennel Club thanks the House Judiciary Committee for amending HB 386 to address our concerns.
The American Kennel Club remains opposed to Senate Bill 258, as this bill has not been amended to address our concerns. Senate Bill 258 still contains the following provisions opposed by the AKC:
- An ownership limit of 75 dogs.
- Allowance for inspections “at all reasonable times”.
- Authority for the Commissioner of Agriculture to confiscate animals if a commercial breeder is in violation of the limit or other provisions, with no ability for the breeder to first correct the violations.
The AKC opposes any bill that places a cap on the number of animals that may be owned, so long as proper care and conditions are provided. Laws should also not restrict the rights and liberties of owners and breeders who take their responsibility seriously. We continue to oppose Senate Bill 258 for those reasons and urge the Senate to either amend the bill to address these concerns or defeat the measure.
The American Kennel Club has been closely monitoring two bills introduced in Tennessee regarding…