Legislative Alerts

The Burke County Animal Advisory Board has scheduled another a public hearing for Wednesday, September 30, 2020, to further discuss proposed county breeder permits, tethering regulations and, according to the notice, “possibly an unaltered impounded animal fine”. Local breeders, sportsmen, and dog owners are strongly encouraged to attend the hearing and continue to express your […]

The Texas Sunset Advisory Commission is still accepting comments on its June staff report recommendation that the state’s Licensed Breeder Program should be eliminated due to fundamental flaws with the law that created it, the program’s ineffectiveness, and significant operational costs. The Commission was originally scheduled to consider the recommendation at an August hearing, but […]

Last week, the Minnesota Board of Animal Health announced a new 10-day quarantine requirement for dogs imported into Minnesota from countries that have had a recent outbreak of, or are endemic for, African Swine Fever (ASF).  According to the World Organisation for Animal Health’s World Animal Health Information System, those countries are located in Africa, […]

A bill continues to advance in Michigan that would prevent local governments from passing laws banning or restricting specific breeds. Municipalities would still be permitted to enact other dangerous and potentially dangerous dog laws, so long as these laws do not target specific breeds. The AKC supports House Bill 4035, which protects the rights of […]

California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed several bills impacting dog owners, exhibitors, and sellers in the state: Assembly Bill 2257 – This bill addresses concerns raised by a law passed in 2019 that requires certain independent contractors to be treated as employees. The concern was raised that this could require clubs to provide benefits, workers […]

Election Day 2020 is Tuesday, November 3. This year, the U.S. President, all 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives, 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate, 13 governorships, and countless other state and local elections will be contested. To preserve the future of purebred dogs, it’s important to identify dog-friendly candidates and use your […]

After cancelling a September 9th special meeting to receive public input on proposed restrictions on dogs at public beaches, the Kittery, Maine, Town Council voted on Monday, September 14, 2020, to schedule a vote on proposed changes that clarify language dealing with feral cats, barking (disturbing the peace), definition improvements, and dog waste removal requirements.  […]

The Michigan House Ways and Means Committee is scheduled to consider a bill tomorrow, Tuesday, September 15, 2020, that seeks to protect the rights of responsible dog owners in the state by prohibiting municipalities from enacting breed-specific policies.  This would be a significant step forward for Michigan dog owners, as there are several localities that […]

Tomorrow, Tuesday, September 15, 2020, the Michigan House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to consider a bill relating to protecting various groups, industries, and people from liability for claims relating to exposure to COVID-19. House Bill 6030 may be of interest to those clubs with concerns about conducting their events while under a higher-than-normal exposure to […]

The special meeting in Kittery, Maine, that was originally scheduled for today, Wednesday, September 9, 2020, to receive public input on proposed restrictions on dogs at public beaches, has been postponed due to an uptick in York County COVID cases. At the upcoming September 14, 2020, Town Council meeting, an agenda item will include discussing […]