The Philadelphia City Council Committee on Rules has scheduled a public hearing for Tuesday, February 3, on Bill 250989, a proposal that would impose a three-year moratorium on the breeding and sale of puppies in Philadelphia. See previous alert.
You are strongly encouraged to act now and mobilize others to protect responsible breeding and dog ownership in Philadelphia by contacting members of the Committee on Rules, including the Committee Chair, who is also the bill sponsor. Those who live in the city should also contact your member of city council, and all members at large. Scroll down for hearing information, testimony instructions, sample letters and contact information.
Summary:
Bill No. 250989 would impose a 36-month moratorium on the breeding and sale or transfer of any dog under seven months of age within the City of Philadelphia. While the bill includes limited exemptions, it would significantly restrict responsible, small-scale, American Kennel Club–affiliated breeders while failing to address the real sources of shelter crowding.
Talking Points and Sample Letters:
Respectfully ask the committee and your city council member to oppose Bill 250989.
As written, the bill would ban responsible hobby breeders who health test, screen buyers, and provide lifetime support for their dogs. It would not stop irresponsible or underground breeders, who are unlikely to comply with a ban. Instead, it would push puppy buyers toward unregulated internet sellers and scams, placing animal welfare at greater risk. The proposal would also limit access to purpose-bred dogs, including service, therapy, working, and search-and-rescue dogs, and would do little to reduce shelter intake while removing ethical local breeding programs.
Ask them to instead focus enforcement efforts on cruelty and neglect violations instead of responsible hobbyists. AKC also recommends that the city expand low-cost spay and neuter programs citywide, improve data collection to identify the true sources of shelter intake, and encourage pet-friendly housing through reasonable incentives.
When reaching out to the council members, be sure to tell your story of how this bill would impact you and your dogs. If you are a breeder, educate them on all you do to humanely breed and raise your dogs, and respectfully ask the city to oppose the bill, or to at least not pass something that would negatively impact responsible, humane breeders in Philadelphia.
You may wish to use one of the following sample letters:
Hearing Details:
What: Committee on Rules Public Hearing on Bill 250989
When: Tuesday, February 3, 2026 – 10:00 AM
Where: Room 400, City Hall, Philadelphia
How to Provide Testimony:
To testify in person, contact the Committee on Rules Chair’s Office at 215-686-3424 by 3:00 PM on Monday, February 2 (the business day before the hearing) and provide your name, phone number, and the bill number (Bill 250989).
To submit written testimony: Email your statement in PDF format to whitney.brown@phila.gov.
Be sure to include your name, contact information, and the bill number (Bill 250989), ideally by 3 p.m. on Monday, February 2 (the day before the hearing).
AKC also recommends that you contact each member of the Rules Committee:
Chair – Cindy Bass (Sponsor of Bill 250989)
(215) 686-3424 | cindy.bass@phila.gov
Vice Chair – Mark Squilla
(215) 686-3458 | mark.squilla@phila.gov
Katherine Gilmore Richardson
(215) 686-0454 | katherine.gilmore.richardson@phila.gov
Curtis Jones, Jr.
(215) 686-3416 | curtis.jones@phila.gov
Brian J. O’Neill
(215) 686-3422 | brian.oneill@phila.gov
Isaiah Thomas
(215) 686-3446 | isaiah.thomas@phila.gov
Jamie Gauthier
(215) 686-0459 | jamie.gauthier@phila.gov
To send a letter to your personal city councilmember, click here and place your cursor over the member’s photo to access contact information.
For more information, contact AKC’s Government Relations Department at email doglaw@akc.org.
AKC GR along with the Pennsylvania Federation of Dog Clubs, will continue to monitor this and other legislation that impact the rights of dog owners and the dogs they love.