Legislative Alerts

A proposal is scheduled for a vote on July 5 by the Baltimore County Council that would prohibit dogs being used for hunting or training on county-owned property.  Current law states that any dog being used for hunting or trained for hunting is exempt from the county’s at-large dog laws.  The AKC opposes the portion […]

The Town of Huntington, New York, has scheduled a public hearing on proposed changes to the town’s animal laws.  These include very broad definitions of when a dog would be considered “at large”, and outdoor tethering requirements that could actually harm dogs.  Those who reside in Huntington are encouraged to attend the hearing on Tuesday, […]

Yesterday, Massachusetts Senate Bill 2370, the “Act Relative to Protecting Puppies and Kittens” (previously Senate Bill 1103), was passed by the Massachusetts Senate.  The bill will now be sent to the Massachusetts House for its consideration.  AKC has several concerns with the bill including: New amendments– including expanded restrictions on dog breeders—to a measure that […]

New Jersey Senate Bill 63 has been placed on the agenda for a vote tomorrow, Thursday, June 30, in the New Jersey State Senate. It is imperative that all New Jersey fanciers, enthusiasts, breeders, and owners contact their state senator and Senate President Steve Sweeney and request SB 63 not be voted on Thursday; and […]

A significantly amended New Jersey Senate Bill 63 was approved late last week by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee.  The bill could now be considered for a vote by the full Senate this Thursday, June 30.  Although some important and necessary changes have been made, the AKC remains deeply concerned with SB 63.  It […]

Yesterday, the Massachusetts Senate’s Ways and Means Committee passed an amended version of Senate Bill 2370, the “Act Relative to Protecting Puppies and Kittens” (previously Senate Bill 1103).  The bill could be voted on by the full Senate as soon as Tuesday, June 28.  The new version of this bill makes several changes – including […]

A bill has been approved by the Delaware House Health and Human Development Committee that would ensure the state and local Delaware municipalities cannot declare a dog as dangerous based solely on “a dog’s breed or perceived breed.”  The bill also makes several amendments to streamline current state laws, including removing all references to the […]

A number of bills have been introduced in North Carolina over the past year to allow certain municipalities to donate a working dog to its handler when the animal is retired from service.  Yesterday, a bill was amended in the Senate that would clarify that these procedures for the donation of retired service dogs apply […]

The California Senate Public Safety Committee will hear Assembly Bill 797 which will allow private citizens to remove a companion animal from a vehicle if they believe that the animal is in imminent danger of suffering harm. Dog owners who reside or participate in events in California are encouraged to contact the Public Safety Committee or […]

The Sarasota County Commission will discuss a proposed amendment to an ordinance adopted in April of 2016. The staff is recommending that the hobby breeder definition be eliminated and that the definition of “Commercial Establishment” be modified to more clearly exclude those who engage in occasional sales and responsible hobby breeding. This action is in […]