Legislative Alerts

June 16, 2015 On June 23rd the Washoe County Board of Commissioners will be considering changes to their animal control ordinance that will define commercial animal establishments and commercial breeders. Two separate ordinances are proposed. The ordinances will impose significant fees and burdens on small, local, responsible breeders. State law already defines and regulates certain […]

June 12, 2015 The Oregon State Senate is scheduled to vote on House Bill 3494 on Monday, June 15th and your opposition is needed! The measure will ban the practice of debarking unless it is medically necessary to treat an injury, illness, or congenital defect.  This legislation restricts the rights of responsible dog owners to […]

June 12, 2015 The Pennsylvania Senate Game and Fisheries Committee is scheduled to consider a bill on Tuesday, June 16, that would make several changes regarding dog training areas, including providing protections for dogs actively training or participating in field trials. Background: Senate Bill 77 creates a number of new provisions, including: Making it unlawful […]

June 11, 2015 The New York Assembly has approved a bill that would allow victims of domestic violence to bring their service or therapy dogs with them if they need to go to an emergency shelter. The AKC supports Assembly Bill 6626, which recognizes the important role these animals provide, and the complex dynamic involving […]

June 8, 2015 The New York Assembly Agriculture Committee is considering a bill tomorrow (Tuesday, June 9) that would make some changes and clarifications to the laws regarding hunting dogs. Assembly Bill 7220 deals with dogs recovered or seized by local law enforcement for being at-large.  Under the provisions of this bill, a hunting dog […]

June 8, 2015 Thanks to the tireless efforts of many AKC club members and Iowa breeders, a bill that would have had a detrimental impact on dog breeders and hobbyists in Iowa will not move forward this year. Senate File 502 (Formerly Senate Files 168 and 347) would have created numerous new requirements on those […]

June 8, 2015 The American Kennel Club Government Relations department has just learned that a bill is moving through the Oregon State Legislature that would ban the practice of debarking unless it is medically necessary to treat an injury, illness, or congenital defect.  The AKC opposes House Bill 3494, which would restrict the rights of […]

NY Bills Allowing Service & Therapy Dogs to Accompany Domestic Violence Victims Continue to Advance June 4, 2015 The New York Assembly Social Services Committee has approved a bill that would allow victims of domestic violence to bring their service or therapy dogs with them if they need to go to an emergency shelter. The […]

June 4, 2015 The New York Senate has approved a bill that would make it a crime to steal a pet from an owner’s or legal custodian’s private property.  The bill is now pending in the Assembly Codes Committee. Summary: Current New York law declares that theft of certain property is grand larceny in the […]

June 4, 2015 The NY Assembly Housing Committee has approved a bill that would prohibit a person from being denied or evicted from public housing based solely on the breed of dog they own.  The bill would also prohibit housing leases (including apartments, tenements, and mobile home parks) from restricting a tenant’s ability to own […]