Legislative Alerts

The California Senate Judiciary Committee is considering a bill on Tuesday, July 13, that would further clarify the difference between true service animals and emotional support animals in the state. AKC appreciates the efforts being made by the legislature to clearly differentiate between animals trained as service animals and those meant to provide solely emotional […]

The City of Follansbee (West Virginia) City Council will be considering seeks to limit the amount of time a dog can be tethered, maintained, or kept outside under certain conditions. on Monday, July 12 at the City Council meeting scheduled for 6:00pm. This proposal was brought before City Council by a local resident who was […]

The 2021 Florida regular legislative session adjourned on April 30, and executive action on bills of interest to dog owners concluded in late June. Two bills supported by AKC Government Relations (AKC GR) were enacted, another bill was favorably amended, and several problematic bills did not advance. AKC GR thanks the Florida Association of Kennel […]

The Massachusetts Joint Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee (JCPPL) has scheduled a virtual public hearing for Monday, July 12, 2021, from 1pm to 3pm, and will accept comments on two bills of concern to the American Kennel Club (AKC). OVERSIGHT OF DOG DAYCARES In the wake of a fatal attack on a puppy in […]

AKC Government Relations (AKC GR) is pleased to share that the Rhode Island Legislature adjourned on Thursday, July 1, 2021, with no bills of concern to dog owners adopted. Since January, AKC GR issued several detailed alerts, embedded in the bill numbers below, requesting opposition by residents to bills negatively impacting dogs and owners as […]

The Massachusetts Joint Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee (JPSHSC) has scheduled a virtual public hearing for Wednesday, July 14, 2021, from 10am to 1pm on multiple bills, including HB 2547 and SB 1606, which would allow emergency care and transportation for a police dog injured in the line of duty. Please join the American […]

This past week, the Wisconsin Assembly passed a bill allowing the state to establish regulations regarding food establishments.  The bill includes an amendment stating that no rule may ban allowing dogs or cats at any establishment that sells only pre-packaged food. The rules established by the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection under […]

Yesterday, the Illinois General Assembly officially sent a bill to the governor that would ban the retail sale of pets in the state. Animal rights activists are flooding the governor’s office with calls and letters of support.  Even if you have already done so, we encourage all dog owners, breed rescues, and clubs in the […]

The American Kennel Club welcomes the introduction today of the bipartisan Healthy Dog Importation Act of 2021 (HDIA) in the U.S. House of Representatives, and urges you to join AKC in thanking Representatives Kurt Schrader, DVM (D-OR) and Dusty Johnson (R-SD) for their leadership in introducing the measure and in asking your member of Congress to support […]

The Colorado Governor has signed a bill that provides monetary incentives for certain large events held in the state between July 2, 2021 and December 31, 2022, in order to encourage organizations to host meetings and events in Colorado. This program may be of interest to clubs organizing national specialties or other large multi-day shows […]