Legislatures are in full swing around the country, and we are currently tracking over 2,000 federal, state, and local measures that could impact dog owners. Between alerts, updates, and newsletters, it may seem you are constantly receiving communications from the American Kennel Club Government Relations department (AKC GR). Each of these messages are essential in making sure you stay informed. Ultimately, when changing dog-related policy, the biggest influence on legislators and local government officials comes directly from their own constituents.
When you receive these communications, we want to ensure that you understand what you’re reading and know when to take appropriate action. We encourage you to read and share our latest blog with a guide to understanding AKC GR legislative communications. We will explain the difference between our action alerts, a critical call to action, informational communications, an ‘fyi’ about an upcoming bill or vote that may not need immediate action; and a legislative update, which updates you on the outcome of the event you took action on.
We appreciate our club officers and legislative liaisons’ ongoing commitment to spread the word and get our messages out to a broader audience. Without legislative liaisons and club officers forwarding crucial alerts to club members, the messages simply cannot get to you – our most important audience!
We are excited to announce the launch of the Confident Puppy e-Learning Course – Interactive Puppy Training with a Purpose! The Confident Puppy course leverages broad expertise from the AKC Detection Dog Task Force and the Patriotic Puppy Program to help dog owners and enthusiasts raise resilient, well-socialized, and confident dogs. The course provides a collection of educational resources for individual breeders, trainers, and puppy raisers. Visit the AKC Canine College to immerse yourself in these free, fun, and informational modules.
Be sure to check out the federal, state, and local updates in this issue for the latest information on issues impacting dog owners around the country, and reach out to AKC GR at doglaw@akc.org if you have any questions.
For more resources to assist you in advocating to protect the rights of responsible dog owners and breeders and advance our breeds and our sports, including the latest resources in our GR toolbox, visit the Legislative Action Center (www.akcgr.org). We can’t do it without you!