Legislative Alerts

The Township Committee of Mendham Township, New Jersey, will consider changes to its animal control ordinance on Tuesday, October 23, 2012. The American Kennel Club (AKC) encourages all interested New Jersey residents to attend Tuesday's meeting and voice concerns with the ordinance. Dating back to late 2011, the Mendham Township Committee attempted to address some […]

Tomorrow, rules regulating Commercial Pet Breeders will be considered by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry. The development of these rules is necessary due to the passage earlier this year of the broadly-supported HB 2921, also known as the Commercial Pet Breeders Act of 2012. A copy of the rules may be viewed […]

On Monday, the Oklahoma House overwhelmingly approved Senate Bill 1919 by a vote of 86-1, which would make many positive changes to the state's commercial pet breeder law. Thanks to the phone calls and e-mails sent by responsible Oklahoma pet breeders and dog owners, the House approved all amendments made by the House Agriculture, Wildlife, […]

The Missouri Senate Agriculture, Food Production, and Outdoor Resources will consider a bill tomorrow that would make several positive changes to the state's laws regarding animal seizure laws. Among these changes is a provision stating that no animal may be intentionally euthanized or sterilized until legal proceedings have been concluded. Missouri dog owners and breeders […]

Several bills important to dog owners will be considered by two committees of the New York Assembly on Thursday, April 26, 2012. The American Kennel Club encourages all concerned New York dog owners to consider the provisions of these bills, and to contact the respective committee members with their concerns. ASSEMBLY BILL 3507 – AB […]

Louisiana legislative staff has confirmed with AKC's Government Relations Department that today's consideration of Louisiana House Bill 163 by the House Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development Committee was voluntarily deferred. This means that no action was taken, and the bill remains in committee. The bill may, however, be considered at a future committee hearing. […]

House Bill 108 H.D. 1 S.D 2, a very problematic dog breeder bill, is scheduled for a third vote in the Hawaii Senate on April 12. It is important that dog owners immediately contact their state Senators and politely ask them to vote “No” on this burdensome and ineffective legislation. HB108 would establish requirements that […]

The American Kennel Club Government Relations Department has learned that Louisiana House Bill 163, a bill which further threatens the rights of responsible dog owners and breeders with ownership limits and vague care and conditions standards, will be considered on Thursday, April 12, 2012, by the Louisiana House Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural […]

The Colorado House of Representatives has passed a measure that would make several changes to the procedures and costs associated with impounding an animal when its owner is charged with neglect, cruelty, or another animal criminal act. Although several amendments supported by the AKC and the Colorado Federation of Dog Clubs were proposed to address […]

Iowa Senate committees have approved two measures that would make detrimental changes to the laws regulating commercial breeders, defined in current law as anyone who owns at least four intact dogs or cats and receives any consideration for breeding. While the bills are virtually identical to the ones that were scheduled for consideration last week, […]