Importance of Responsible Dog Ownership Now Recognized by 35 States
California has joined the growing list of states that have passed American Kennel Club® (AKC) Canine Good Citizen® (CGC™) resolutions. Senate Concurrent Resolution 1148 endorses the CGC program and acknowledges that problems related to dogs are really problems about the need for responsible dog ownership.
The CGC resolution was sponsored by Senator Jenny Oropeza (D-Long Beach). AKC CGC Director, Dr. Mary Burch worked closely with Senator Oropeza’s office on the resolution.
“Californians have an affinity for their canine companions and take pride and pleasure in their ownership, as demonstrated in their annual participation in, and enjoyment of, the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship event hosted in Long Beach, California,” said Senator Oropeza. “In a little over one decade, AKC’s CGC program has begun to have an extremely positive impact in many of our communities. We commend the AKC’s CGC program for the outstanding contributions it has made to the people of the State of California and their canine companions in advocating responsible dog ownership.”
“California's CGC resolution is significant because it stresses the importance of responsible dog ownership,” said Dr. Mary Burch. “If dog owners would adhere to the CGC Responsible Dog Owner's Pledge, there would be no need for restrictive legislation anywhere.”
“The American Kennel Club applauds Sen. Oropeza for thinking about dogs and their owners,” said AKC Vice President of Communications Noreen Baxter. “We are extremely proud that Sen. Oropeza recognized the potential of the AKC Canine Good Citizen Program to promote responsible dog ownership in our communities. Reasonable ordinances that respect the rights of responsible dog owners and dog owner education programs are the combination that ensures we can all live happily with our dogs.”
With the addition of California, in total 35 states have adopted CGC resolutions, including Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the U.S. Senate.
CGC is a 10-step certification program that rewards dogs with good manners at home and in the community. Viewed as the first step in dog training, CGC lays the foundation for other AKC activities such as obedience, agility, rally, tracking and performance events. CGC is one of the fastest growing programs at AKC and it has become a model for similar programs adapted in countries such as England, Australia, Japan, Hungary, Denmark and Canada.
Additionally, police and animal control agencies use CGC for dealing with dog problems in communities; therapy dog groups use CGC as a partial screening tool; and, some 4-H groups around the country have been using the CGC as a beginning dog training program for children.