As the temperatures continue to rise, so does the AKC Government Relations team’s outreach across the nation, including partnering with you to advocate at state legislatures and providing new materials that enable you to be more effective in communicating on the federal, state, and local levels.
With multiple federal measures advancing, we often hear from breeders asking, “Do I need to get a USDA license?”. To help you ( and the public and lawmakers) better understand who is subject to USDA licensing as a pet breeder/dealer, we have developed a new flyer and flow chart about USDA licensing,
As always, this issue of Taking Command provides updates of legislation we are working on across the country. This includes a bill pending in the California State Assembly that seeks to adopt a “Dog and Cat Bill of Rights”, with such vague statements as giving a dog or cat the “right to be spayed or neutered”, a right to a life “free from fear and anxiety”, and many other broad statements. While the author and supporters are touting this as merely a list of responsibilities and helpful reminders for pet owners, Assembly Bill 1881 actually opens the door for a radical shift in the legal status of animals in the state – a shift that could dramatically alter how animals are cared for and treated throughout California.
This past week, the California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) and the Animal Health Institute (AHI) joined with AKC in making a joint public statement in opposition to AB 1881.
In other news coming out of California, you may have heard about an impending court case brought by the National Pork Producers Council and the American Farm Bureau Federation against multiple California officials and animal rights groups. At stake is an important question for every American animal owner, including dog owners: Can one state force animal owners in other states to adhere to its care requirements? Read more about our breakdown of the case and continue to follow our updates to better understand how this could potentially impact the future of animal welfare.
At this busy time of year, AKC GR sends out dozens of legislative alerts and updates to keep you informed – and many have different purposes. Due to the positive response to our Understanding AKC GR Legislative Communications blog post, we turned it into a printable one-pager. When you forward our alerts to your club or fellow dog friends, send them this information too so they can better understand what they are receiving and how they can best defend their rights as dog owners.
If you have questions on our alerts, or hear of an issue in your community, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at doglaw@akc.org. Thank you for your continued partnership with us on behalf of purebred dogs!