Legislative Alerts

Iredell County, NC, will be hosting an open meeting on August 25 to allow for public comment on the numerous proposed changes to the county’s animal control laws.  These proposals include the broad categorization of all dogs as solely companion animals, requirements on ear cropping, tail docking and dewclaw removal, and tethering regulations. Summary: The […]

The Ulster County Legislature is holding a public hearing on Wednesday on a proposal that would regulate hobby breeders residing in the county.  County residents are encouraged to consider attending the hearing and contact the county legislators to express concerns with the proposal as currently written.  The meeting information is as follows: Public Hearing on […]

Thursday, August 6, 2015 The New Jersey Senate’s Economic Growth Committee will consider five proposals dealing with dogs on Monday, August 10.  The American Kennel Club encourages all dog owners in New Jersey to review the proposals and contact the members of the committee with any concerns you may have.  Assembly Bill 2389 and Senate […]

The North Carolina Senate is expected to vote on a bill on July 29 that would allow law enforcement in Raleigh and cities and towns in Mecklenburg County the opportunity to adopt the animals they worked with, once those animals have retired from service. The American Kennel Club supports House Bill 199, which will ensure […]

Dog lovers all over the US have reason to celebrate news from the NAIA, which reported recently that the number of dogs entering US shelters has dropped significantly over the past few decades to new lows. Digging deeper into the matter, NAIA also learned that only about three percent of dogs in our country’s shelters […]

Tuesday, June 30, 2015 A committee of Stamford, Connecticut’s Board of Representatives is currently considering changes to Chapter 111 of the City’s Code of Ordinances, which currently deals with “Dogs and Other Animals”.  The changes include use of the term “guardian” to describe the relationship between dogs and their owners and requires breeders to acquire […]

The New York Legislature has adjourned and will likely not reconvene until 2016.  Prior to adjournment, three bills were passed that would directly impact dog owners.  The bills must still be sent to the governor for his approval or veto: Assembly Bill 6626/Senate Bill 5372 – Allowing Service/Therapy Dogs to Accompany Domestic Violence Victims: The […]

NC Information: Budget Proposal Would Charge Sales Tax on Veterinary, Grooming, and Boarding Services June 22, 2015 The North Carolina General Assembly is currently developing a state budget for the coming fiscal year.  A provision in the Senate version passed on June 18 would require that the general sales tax rate (currently 4.75%) be applied […]

June 17, 2015 AKC has learned that these ordinances have been pulled from the June 23rd agenda. The Washoe County Commission has directed animal services to return to the drafting board and has indicated that they do not want ordinances that will negatively impact responsible breeders or animal oriented businesses in a negative manner. AKC […]

June 17, 2015 The Pennsylvania Senate Game and Fisheries Committee has approved Senate Bill 77, which would make several changes regarding dog training areas, including providing protections for dogs actively training or participating in field trials. Read AKC’s previous legislative alert for more information on this bill.  The bill is now under consideration by the […]