As summer is winding down, many are beginning to focus on a return to school. It’s also a great time for clubs, fanciers and breeders to reach out to lawmakers and educate them on the benefits of purebred dogs, responsible breeders, and AKC events in their communities.
This month, a city in New Jersey passed a ban on all breeding, and later this year, state lawmakers will begin prefiling bills for consideration in 2026. These are powerful reminders that it is important to develop relationships with your lawmakers and get involved in your community today – before restrictions and bans on responsible owners and breeders are introduced. Even if you have previously reached out, now is the ideal time to contact your lawmakers.
The AKC Government Relations Department’s Legislative Action Center (www.akcgr.org) is the place to visit for all your advocacy resources – with downloadable sample letters, talking points, explainer videos and advocacy materials to make it easy for you reach out to your lawmakers, educate them, and even invite them to your local shows and events. Take some time to check out the Toolbox and Key Issues tabs for resources designed to help you share the value and importance of protecting purebred dogs and responsible breeders.
This month, AKC Government Relations staff were exhibitors at the National Conference of State Legislators Annual Summit in Boston, Massachusetts. Over 9,000 lawmakers, staff and policy stakeholders from all 50 states attended the conference, where AKC shared our effective, reasonable policy and educational solutions to promote responsible pet ownership and humane care. We also were able to convey the many ways AKC and our clubs make a positive impact for dogs in local communities across the country.
This issue also takes a look back on the first half of this year. The GR team is already tracking more than 1,700 dog related bills in Congress and state legislatures. This report includes many successes that are the direct result of AKC Government Relations working with our clubs and federations. It also includes cautionary reminders of the importance of diligence and persistence, as threats continue to grow that could impact the future of our dogs and our sports.
AKC Government Relations thanks all who have worked with us so far in 2025 on behalf of your dogs, and we encourage you to use our resources to continue to educate lawmakers on the importance of protecting dogs and responsible owners and breeders. As always, we are here to be a resource for you and work alongside you. Contact us at doglaw@akc.org if we can be of assistance in reaching out to lawmakers in your community.