Spring signals a very busy season for dog competitors and exhibitors. With more sunshine and warmer weather throughout the country, there are numerous events in which to participate from national specialties and conformation shows to a variety of performance events including field trials, barn and hunt tests, Fast CAT, and more.
Yet language added to the U.S. House “Farm Bill” in a recent markup threatens the future of AKC performance events and recognized hunt training techniques. Broad, vague language associated with the “Greyhound Protection Act” and the use of “lures” creates potential restrictions or bans on recognized hunting and training practices and could be interpreted to severely impact or eliminate events such as AKC field trials, hunt tests, earthdog competitions and barn hunts that involve live animals. It would take little further amendment to even impact events that use mechanized lures such as lure coursing and Fast CAT.
The Farm Bill contains many positive provisions protecting dogs, but the “Greyhound Protection Act” amendment is a dangerous threat. AKC urges you to join us and leading state and national sportsmen organizations in contacting your member of Congress to remove the “Greyhound Protection Act” amendments from the Farm Bill. View AKC’s Legislative Alert on the home page of our Legislative Action Center (www.akcgr.org) to send a message to your member of Congress with just a few simple clicks.
Over the past three months, we have seen throughout the country what a difference our collective voice can make on behalf of purebred dogs, our events, and breeding programs. We encourage you to take a few minutes and check out the many successes already achieved this year in state legislatures from Arizona to Florida.
These successes are a testament to the positive impact we can make for dogs when we speak up and take the time to educate lawmakers. Some of these successes are also due to the support of key lawmakers. As election season gets into full swing, it is imperative that you and your club take the time to learn candidates’ positions on canine policy issues – and then support those who will protect your rights as a responsible dog owner, breeder or exhibitor.
AKC GR has put together a 2026 Election Guide with information on registering to vote, identifying dog-friendly candidates, and supporting those candidates through their campaign – particularly by contributing to the AKC Political Action Committee (AKC PAC). Visit www.akc.org/pac to learn more about this vital program, where every dollar of your donation goes directly to support candidates who will protect our rights to own, train, breed and participate in events with our purebred dogs.