For many around the country, September signals a focus on returning to school. And in a sense, it is the same for the AKC Government Relations team as this month we look forward to welcoming club members, breeders and dog enthusiasts from across the country to Raleigh, North Carolina, for our National Legislative Conference.
The one-day conference on September 26 brings together club leaders, dog lovers and advocacy experts from around the country to share their insight, experiences, and expertise in advocating for dogs and responsible dog ownership. Whether you are new to advocacy or an experienced canine advocate, you’ll have the opportunity to:
- Hone your communications and “elevator speech” skills,
- Learn about recent activism from animal extremists that could impact the purebred dogs and dog sports; and
- Network and learn from AKC GR’s regional advocacy experts, club members, exhibitors, industry leaders and other dog enthusiasts who also work in the trenches on a day-to-day basis to protect the future of dogs.
If you have not yet registered, there is still time! Visit www.akcgr.org/gr_leg_conference_2026 for more information and to register before September 18th.
While most legislatures are currently adjourned or in recess, GR has been taking this time to work with clubs and like-minded allies to strengthen our partnerships and collective voice on behalf of dogs. This past month, GR staff participated in the annual Pennsylvania Sporting Dog Owners Meeting where they discussed the importance of collaboration in preserving the future of purebred dogs and performance/sporting activities.
AKC Government Relations welcomes the opportunity to partner with you in the fight for our beloved dogs. We hope you will join us on September 26th for our national legislative conference, and also welcome the opportunity to meet with your club, federation or organization to further discuss how we can work together on behalf of purebred dogs and dog sports. Contact us at doglaw@akc.org for more information.