Legislative Alerts

A revised proposed animal ordinance is on the Aiken County Council agenda for Tuesday, October 20, 2020.  The proposal could be discussed tomorrow and/or at a future county council meeting. Among other requirements, the revised ordinance seeks to require registration with the county as an offender by any person convicted of a dangerous dog violation […]

The following chart provides information on COVID-19 shelter in place/closure orders with respect to rules impacting access to pet care, supplies, and services.  This document will be updated to reflect changing circumstances as new information becomes available. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, many states are shutting down all but what they deem to be essential […]

Tonight, October 19, at 7:00pm, residents in Marshfield, Massachusetts, will be asked at a special town meeting to vote on two of three proposed dog ordinances, Articles 1, 2 and 3.  We are grateful that after the American Kennel Club’s (AKC’s) initial legislative alert and subsequent contacts were made with town officials, Article 3 regarding […]

The Michigan Legislature has passed a bill relating to protecting various groups, industries, and people from liability for claims relating to exposure to COVID-19.  It will likely be transmitted to the governor very soon as part of a package of liability bills relating to several different entities.  All bills in the package must be signed […]

Last year, Texas Governor Abbott signed SB 1531 into law, which added pleas of “no contest” to animal cruelty charges as a ground for denying or refusing to renew a breeder license. Today, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) proposed amendments to the state’s Dog or Cat Breeders Act regulations to implement SB […]

The San Antonio City Council is expected to consider a new animal ordinance that seeks to further limit breeding and restrict pet stores to sourcing dogs and cats only from an animal rescue organization, an animal control agency, or a county animal shelter licensed by the city. Currently, Sec. 5-106 of the city’s ordinances requires […]

As you may have already seen, the COVID-19 outbreak and preventative public health measures are having a significant impact on legislative schedules and hearings around the country. Schedules are evolving rapidly.  As of (11:00 AM on 10/13/20), here are the latest schedule updates impacting legislation at the state and federal level. Please continue to check […]

The next meeting of Texas’ Licensed Breeders Advisory Committee is scheduled for Monday, November 30, 2020, at 10AM.  The meeting will be held via video conference and will be broadcast live on the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation’s YouTube channel. Please note that the agenda and staff reports to be considered are currently unavailable, […]

New Jersey Senate Bill 975, which seeks to establish animal trunk fighting as an animal cruelty offense, is scheduled for consideration by the Senate Environment and Energy Committee on Monday, October 19, 2020.  The American Kennel Club (AKC) supports S.975, and encourages all concerned responsible dog owners in New Jersey to contact the members of […]

On Monday, October 19, at 7:00pm, residents in Marshfield, Massachusetts, will be asked at a special town meeting to vote on three proposed dog ordinances, Articles 1, 2 and 3.  These articles are extremely problematic because combined, they hamstring local breeding programs in favor of importing strays to meet consumers’ high demand for dogs.  New […]