The American Kennel Club (AKC) has been tracking many bills this legislative session in Hawai’i. Two bills of note that the AKC has opposed, Senate Bill 2710 and Senate Bill 3012, have missed legislative deadlines and will not advance this year. The AKC thanks all who were involved in defending the interests of responsible dog owners, including, specifically, the Pacific Pet Alliance.
Senate Bill 2710 would have established licensing, care standards, and enforcement mechanisms for commercial dog breeders in Hawaii. You can read more about it here.
Senate Bill 3012 would have required proof of sterilization for dogs and cats imported into Hawaii, with narrow exemptions. You can read more about it here.
The AKC is also monitoring a bill that does NOT affect dogs but does affect cats. HB 1736 would mandate the sterilization of cats over five months old, with few exemptions. The bill has already passed the Hawai’i House of Representatives and is before the State Senate for consideration. If you would like to express your concern about the proposal, you can contact the Senate Agriculture and Environment Committee Chair, Senator Mike Gabbard. You can do so here at 808-586-6830 or sengabbard@capitol.hawaii.gov.
AKC Government Relations are closely monitoring this and other legislation impacting dogs in Hawai’i. For questions or more information, contact doglaw@akc.org.