Legislative Alerts

Late Friday the US Senate passed their version of the 2007 Farm Bill. Below is a summary of provisions affecting dogs. Senator Richard J. Durbin (D-IL) has announced that his amendment to the Senate Farm Bill to protect the health of puppies imported into the United States has been accepted. The measure will require that […]

The Miami-Dade County Commission will be holding a public hearing at 9:30am on Tuesday, December 18th to discuss a variety of changes to the animal control ordinance including limiting the number of pets a resident may own, implementing hobby breeder licensing, requiring mandatory microchipping for dog breeders and restricting rescue organizations. Concerned dog owners and […]

Senator Richard Durbin has filed Senate Amendment 3723. Amendment filing is a parliamentary procedure to reserve time during a possible floor debate of a bill. Amendment filing does not constitute actually offering the amendment to the original bill. Sen. Durbin has assured the AKC that he filed this amendment solely for the purpose of reserving […]

The San Antonio City Council will decide on proposed major revisions to its animal ordinance at the Thursday, December 13th, “A Session” meeting.  Public comment will be accepted at this hearing prior to the council’s vote.  It is imperative that all concerned San Antonio-area breeders and owners strongly voice their opposition to this proposal. The […]

Ohio House Bill 366, sponsored by Representative Webster, has been referred to the House Committee on Infrastructure, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs. If adopted, the bill will remove "pit bulls" from the definition of vicious dogs in state law. The American Kennel Club encourages all Ohio dog owners to write the committee members in support […]

Two new bills have been introduced in Wisconsin, both of which seek to regulate those classified as commercial breeders and provide remedies for purchasers of dogs. Assembly Bill 567, sponsored by Representative Lothian, has been assigned to the Assembly Committee on Consumer Protection and Personal Privacy; its companion, Senate Bill 308, is sponsored by Senator […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC) and our Texas federation of owners, the Responsible Pet Owners Alliance (RPOA), remain deeply concerned with the proposed changes to San Antonio's animal ordinance. The proposed ordinance is unreasonable, unenforceable, and unfairly penalizes responsible dog breeders and owners. For example, if adopted, the new law will impose many burdensome restrictions, […]

The American Kennel Club and its Texas federation of dog owners, the Responsible Pet Owners Alliance, are deeply concerned about the proposed changes to the City of San Antonio's animal ordinance. These changes, as will be proposed by the city's Animal Care Services Advisory Board, unfairly target responsible dog breeders and owners, have no chance […]

Tomorrow, August 14th, the Los Angeles City Council will hear a report from Ed Boks, the General Manager of Animal Services, regarding a proposal to require the mandatory spaying/neutering of all cats and dogs over four months of age. The proposal will likely mirror the failed Assembly Bill 1634. The council will then vote to […]

Yesterday, the Ohio Supreme Court held that the City of Toledo's breed-specific ordinances are constitutional. The ordinances classify dogs that belong to a breed commonly known as pit bulls, or dogs that are pit bull mixes, as vicious. The court's decision effectively overturns a 2006 Ohio Appellate Court decision that found that breed-specific ordinances are […]