Arizona Governor Doug Ducey has signed two bills that will have a positive impact on Arizona dog owners.
Arizona residents are encouraged to contact State Representative John Kavanagh (Dist. 23- Fountain Hills) and thank him for his sponsorship and leadership of both House Bill 2323 and House Bill 2626:
Phone: (602) 926-5170
Email: jkavanagh@azleg.gov
When calling, make sure to mention if you are an Arizona resident, and also if you are a member of a local club, so he knows that AKC clubs, breeders, and exhibitors appreciate his work on these bills.
Bill Summaries
- House Bill 2626, among other provisions, will require shelters to thoroughly scan dogs and cats for microchips when they are impounded. Reasonable efforts must also be made to contact the owner. The bill also requires veterinarians to thoroughly scan for a microchip when a stray animal is brought into their clinic. HB 2626 would also apply to animal crematories when the animal is not brought in by the animal’s owner.
AKC supports this new law, which will help identify lost dogs and hopefully reunite them more quickly with their owners. The bill will go into effect 90 days after the legislature adjourns for the year. - House Bill 2323, as stated in a previous alert, is a first step in preventing insurance companies from discriminating based on the breed of dog owned by the policy holder. It states that for the purposes of homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, the breed of dog may not be the sole consideration for determining risk, liability, etc. It also cannot be the sole consideration in surveys or other means of gathering information regarding ownership possession, or presence of a dog on the premises.
AKC supports this new law, which begins to protect Arizona dog owners for undue insurance discrimination based solely on the breed of dog they choose to own. It will apply to new and renewed insurance policies issued starting on June 30, 2023.
AKC Government Relations continues to monitor Arizona legislation for any issues that may impact dogs and dog owners. For questions or more information, contact AKC GR at doglaw@akc.org.