Animal rights activists continue to collect signatures in Oregon in advance of a July 2 deadline to qualify an extreme measure (currently referred to as Oregon Initiative Petition 28) for the November 2026 ballot that would ban hunting, criminalize dog breeding (including artificial insemination), end recognized training practices, and significantly harm agriculture.
AKC Government Relations (AKC GR) continues to work with a broad coalition of hunters, fishermen, farmers, veterinarians and others in opposition.
Recently, the AKC signed the growing list organized by the Oregon Farm Bureau of local, state, and national organizations and individuals publicly opposing this radical proposal. We encourage all Oregon kennel clubs to join AKC and sign onto Oregon Farm Bureau’s list of groups and organizations opposing IP 28. Our thanks to those clubs who have already signed on and publicly registered their opposition.
What is the current status of IP 28?
In the most recent update, 138,335 signatures have been submitted; 117,173 (valid) signatures are needed to qualify for the ballot. The American Kennel Club (AKC) is operating under the assumption that, after the signature validation process, the proposal will qualify for the November election.
The expectation is that it should be known by the end of July whether the measure has, in fact, qualified for the ballot. At that point, AKC GR will provide the latest update, status, and next steps.
What does IP 28 do?
In the words of supporters, IP28, known as the “People for the Elimination of Animal Cruelty Exemptions (PEACE) Act, “prohibits any activity—other than self-defense and veterinary practices—that intentionally injures, kills, or sexually violates an animal, many of which are currently legal because they are exempt from our animal cruelty laws.”
Among many provisions, IP 28 does the following:
- Bans and criminalizes hunting in Oregon
- Criminalizes artificial insemination and equates it to sexual assault of an animal.
- Criminalizes many standard husbandry practices including “reasonable handling and training techniques”, all of which are protected under current law
- Provides exemption for veterinary practices, but it is unclear how this would impact ear cropping and tail docking.
- Removes the word “intentional”, criminalizing even unintentional harm or neglect of any animal.
- This initiative will also have dire consequences for agriculture, 4-H, and even pest control.
If you have questions on IP 28, please contact AKC Government Relations at doglaw@akc.org.