Legislative Alerts

There are currently two ordinances being proposed at the county level in Florida which have the potential to dramatically impact the rights of fanciers and hobby breeders. Your help is needed to defeat these proposals and protect the rights of Floridians to responsibly breed, show and own unaltered animals.   Palm Beach County Palm Beach […]

California fanciers will recall that the Assembly Appropriations Committee placed AB418—a bill to ban ear cropping—on the Suspense File in April due to concern over its potential financial impact on the state's economy. On May 25th, the committee will hold a hearing to announce which bills will be released from the Suspense file to the […]

In response to a state Supreme Court decision last year that declared part of Ohio's breed-specific dangerous dog law unconstitutional , Representatives Kathy Walcher and Shawn Webster are sponsoring HB189. The bill makes significant revisions to the state's dangerous dog law, the most important being the repeal of an existing breed-specific provision that automatically declares […]

There's still time to help oppose AB418, a bill to ban ear cropping, but fanciers must work quickly! With only a few short weeks to go before the Assembly Appropriations hearing, dog owners need to contact their representatives immediately with their concerns. Please see our April alert below for more information. [ Wednesday, April 13, […]

On Wednesday, April 20th, the Massachusetts Federation of Dog Clubs and Responsible Dog Owners (Mass Fed) held its first-ever Lobby Day at the State House in Boston. The following is a summary of a report submitted by Charlotte McGowan, the federation’s Legislative Liaison. We extend our congratulations to all who participated in this very successful […]

Attention Texas dog owners! Rep. Al Edwards of Houston is sponsoring HB1096, a bill which would exempt any cities with a population of over 1.9 million from the current state law prohibiting breed-specific legislation. (Currently this includes the City of Houston only, but rapid growth in Dallas and San Antonio means these cities would be […]

AB418 passed out of the Assembly Committee on Public Safety late yesterday afternoon. The bill, which would ban ear cropping of dogs, now moves to the Assembly Appropriations Committee for fiscal analysis and then on to the full Assembly. Although several concerned fanciers attended yesterday's hearing, they were considerably outnumbered by supporters of AB418. Additionally, […]

West Virginia dog owners should be aware of a fast-moving bill (SB277) that would prohibit the possession, breeding, and sale of exotic animals unless one obtains a special permit. The bill further establishes an Exotic Animal Regulation Board and grants it extensive powers, including the authority to regulate the permitting process, the operation of pet […]

Attention California fanciers! Just a reminder that the Assembly Public Safety Committee will hold a hearing on SB418, a bill to ban ear cropping, on Tuesday April 5th at 9 a.m. in the State Capitol Building, Room 126. We need purebred dog owners to attend and respectfully show their opposition! For more background on AKC's […]

UPDATE! AB418 has been set for hearing in the Assembly Committee on Public Safety on Tuesday, April 5th at 9 a.m. in Room 126. The Animal Council is urging dog clubs to submit formal letters on their own letterhead to the committee consultant. Letters should be clearly marked "AB 418 - Dogs: animal cruelty: ear […]