April 17, 2026
The Honorable G. T. Thompson Chairman
House Agriculture Committee
U.S. House of Representatives
400 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515
RE: American Kennel Club Support for H.R. 7567 – the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026.
Dear Chairman Thompson.
On behalf of the American Kennel Club (AKC), our more than 5,000 community-based dog clubs, and the millions of responsible dog owners and enthusiasts across the United States, I write to express our support for the Farm Bill, H.R. 7567, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026. Specifically, the AKC supports the following positive animal care provisions included in the legislation:
- Section 12406 – Enhancement of Pet
- Report to Congress on Animal Welfare Act Enforcement. Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to provide a report to Congress evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of enforcement standards and requirements under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), efforts to educate and advise dealers regarding the standards and requirements of the Act, and the capacity of the Secretary to enforce those standards.
- Veterinary Care. Requires that annual veterinary examinations of animals covered under the AWA include a visual dental
- Section 12005 – Importation of Live Dogs. Expands USDA’s electronic health documentation requirements for dogs entering the United States. This provision reflects language contained in the Healthy Dog Importation Act (H.R. 3349/S. 1725) by requiring electronic records documenting that dogs imported into the United States are in good health; are microchipped; have received all required vaccinations and parasite treatments; have demonstrated negative test results where applicable; and have a health certificate issued by an accredited veterinarian. The provision further requires that any dog intended for transfer be at least six months of age. Exceptions are provided for dogs that are personal pets of U.S. origin returning to the United States, U.S. military working dogs, dogs imported for research purposes, and dogs entering the United States solely for veterinary treatment, among
- Section 12407 – Protecting Animals with Shelter. Reauthorizes funding for transitional shelters that allow victims of domestic violence to seek safety without leaving their pets behind.
- Section 12003 – National Detector Dog Training Center. Authorizes the USDA National Detector Dog Training Center to establish additional training facilities to prepare specially selected dogs and their handlers to detect invasive pests and diseases that threaten American
The American Kennel Club appreciates your strong support for including these important animal care provisions in the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026. We are also grateful for your leadership in addressing concerns raised by the AKC, dog trainers, hunters, and sporting dog enthusiasts regarding provisions derived from the Greyhound Protection Act.
Although framed as legislation to prohibit greyhound racing, that language could have restricted or effectively banned widely accepted dog training and event practices used in certain field trials, performance events, lawful hunting with dogs, and other standard training methods employed by responsible dog owners and handlers.
The AKC is proud to support the Farm Bill and encourages its passage by the House of Representatives. We also encourage your continued opposition to potential amendments promoted by animal rights activists that could restrict responsible dog breeders or hinder widely accepted animal husbandry practices, traditional dog competitions, or common dog training methods.
As the House approaches floor consideration of the Farm Bill, the AKC stands ready to serve as a resource and to answer any questions that may arise regarding canine issues. Please do not hesitate to contact me at shg@akc.org or 919-816-3721.
Sincerely,
Sheila Goffe
Executive Secretary &
Vice President, Government Relations American Kennel Club
CC: Members of the House Agriculture Committee
Members of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee
Founded in 1884, the American Kennel Club is a not-for-profit organization and club of clubs. We are the world’s largest registry of purebred dogs and currently recognize more than 200 breeds of dogs. Nationwide, our 5,000community-based non-profit dog clubs hosted over 29,000 educational and family-friendly canine events in 2024, with over 3.7 million individual participants. To find out more about AKC in your community, please review our 2024 AKC Impact by State report, which highlights the economic benefits and charitable contribution of AKC events, clubs, AKC Reunite® Adopt a K-9 Cop Grants and Disaster Relief Trailers, AKC Canine Health Foundation® health research grants, and other initiatives in all 50 states. While the majority
of AKC’s resources support these programs an other, AKC also promotes public policy to advance responsible dog breeding, ownership and the well-being of all dogs.