Legislative Alerts

At last night's meeting, Mayor John Duran followed through with his introduction of a motion to ban ear cropping, tail docking, debarking and other non-therapeutic procedures. If such a measure is allowed to pass, it will establish a very dangerous model for other cities and states to follow. Help is needed immediately from fanciers --particularly […]

AKC has learned that last night the Senate Public Affairs Committee postponed hearing SB188. The bill will NOT be on the schedule for today's meeting, however it will likely be heard in the near future, perhaps as early as next week. Please check the New Mexico Legislature's Committee Calendar http://legis.state.nm.us/lcs/agecalendars.asp for scheduling information. Fanciers are […]

Hunters and dog fanciers in Texas are extremely concerned about HB326 and its companion, SB172. The identical bills would amend the state's cruelty law in several ways. First, the measures make it a crime to cause bodily injury to an animal, with "animal" being defined as any "nonhuman mammal, bird or captive amphibian or reptile." […]

UPDATE: HB2927 was stricken from the docket on February 2nd. Many thanks to the Virginia Federation of Dog Clubs and the countless Virginia dog owners who helped make this victory possible! Please continue to watch our Web site for information about other pending legislation in Virginia.    [Monday, January 24, 2005] Immediate help is needed […]

AKC has learned that Rep. Guy Liebmann has withdrawn H1282 from consideration. Congratulations to the many dog owners who alerted Rep. Liebmann to the problems with breed-specific legislation! However, Sen. Jim Reynolds's companion bill (S247) is still scheduled for introduction next week. Please keep up the concerned phone calls, letters and e-mails! See below for […]

Legislation has once again been introduced (H1016) that would prohibit insurance companies from discriminating against homeowners based on the breed of dog they own. A similar bill was considered in Washington last year but failed to pass. Your help is needed to ensure that this positive legislation is finally enacted into law! Finding and keeping […]

Many thanks to the concerned fanciers and dog owners in Georgia who contacted AKC this week regarding H78, a bill to ban "pit bulls" in the state. For those who are not yet aware, H78 defines "pit bulls" as American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, or any dogs displaying characteristics of […]

Oklahoma is currently one of 12 states that prohibit municipalities from enacting breed-specific laws. That would change if S247 (scheduled to be introduced February 7) is allowed to pass. Sponsored by Sen. Jim Reynolds, the bill allows cites and counties to regulate dangerous dogs based on breed. The American Kennel Club strongly supports sound, enforceable, […]

A fast-moving proposal in Stanislaus County could severely impact the breeding rights of local fanciers. The proposed ordinance is scheduled for a public hearing on Tuesday, November 30 at 9:35 AM. If enacted, the ordinance would: Require owners to obtain a $100 annual license for intact dogs or cats over the age of four months. […]

New Jersey fanciers are currently facing two pieces of legislation that would directly affect dog ownership in the Garden State. The first, A1135, would prohibit insurance companies from discriminating against homeowners based on the breed of dog they own. A1135 passed out of committee with overwhelming support last week after dog owners turned out in […]