As the holiday season approaches, AKC Government Relations is taking time to reflect on all we have to be thankful for this year. At the top of this list is our appreciation for each club member, breeder, exhibitor and dog owner who took the time to reach out to their lawmakers and join us in the fight to protect the future of purebred dogs in their state and community.
This includes the State of California, where in October Governor Newsom signed three bills to address the sale of dogs – and all three included some language requested by AKC and our local clubs. We encourage you to review our blogs regarding these new laws to learn what they mean for those buying and selling dogs in California, and those involved in rescue.
AKC GR is also thankful to the bill authors for working with us to ensure the bills did not negatively impact responsible breeders in California. Having lawmakers who understand, respect and support AKC clubs, events, and purebred dogs is essential at all levels of government. While only two states were voting for state lawmakers, communities throughout the country held elections for local officials. These elections were critical to the future of dog ownership in many localities. AKC GR also encourages you to reach out to your local lawmakers, invite them to shows, and educate them on purebred dogs and all your clubs do in the community. This issue provides some guidance on ways to make an impact in your local area.
We are also beginning to look ahead to 2026 and are excited to announce that the National Detection Dog Conference will be held in the Raleigh/Durham, NC, area on August 4-6, 2025. More information will be available soon, and we look forward to welcoming professionals from across the detection dog community.
Thank you for all you have done on behalf of dogs in 2025, and we look forward to continuing to fight alongside you on behalf of purebred dogs in the new year.