September marks the beginning of fall, and while summer and many legislative sessions are coming to an end, advocacy never stops. In this newsletter, you will learn about the work our American Kennel Club Government Relations analysts have been doing throughout the country to help improve our communities.
In Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Federation of Dog Clubs (PFDC) hosted their annual meeting at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, PA. Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson, Chair of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, spoke at the event and provided an overview of the Farm Bill process and the importance of agricultural and animal husbandry enterprises in the United States. He encouraged the group to work together to offset the lobbying tactics of radical animal rights groups. Following the formal presentation, Charley Hall, AKC Government Relations Mid-Atlantic Regional Manager, then led a question-and-answer session.
AKC GR also attended the inaugural Meet the Breeds event in Chicago in conjunction with the International Kennel Club shows. Over 20 local lawmakers, primarily from the Chicagoland area, served as Honorary Chairs for the event and declared their public support for responsible pet ownership in their communities, with several stating how “honored” they were to lend their names and thanked AKC for hosting this event in Illinois. They were provided with information on AKC’s impact in Illinois and encouraged to consider AKC and local clubs as experts when legislation arises in the state.
In addition to these major events, AKC also hosted and attended national and local events in Indianapolis, Arkansas twice , and Virginia.
To work on hosting or creating an event with your state’s analysts, please reach out to us at doglaw@akc.org.