Legislative Alerts

The Connecticut Joint Committee on General Law has scheduled a public hearing for Monday, February 10, 2025, that includes HB 5112, which would impose a statewide ban on the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits, beginning October 1, 2025. (This is in addition to another bill heard last week that seeks to allow individual […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC) encourages Tennessee residents to join in support of House Bill 76, which seeks to further clarify the state’s animal abandonment law. SUMMARY Under current law, anyone who unreasonably abandons an animal in their custody is subject to prosecution for animal cruelty. If enacted as currently worded, HB 76 would add […]

On Tuesday, February 11, 2025, the Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee will consider a bill that seeks to increase the cap on compensatory damages for which a person who tortiously causes an injury to or death of a pet is liable. Those who wish may comment on this bill using the information below. Summary: Under […]

On Monday, February 10, 2025, the New Jersey Senate Economic Growth Committee will hold a hearing on a bill to establish the “Dog Training Licensing Board” to license and regulate dog trainers.  In addition, the board will establish a training philosophy that must be used for every trainer in the state. Those who train dogs […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC) has just learned that the Marion County Land Development Regulation Commission, a volunteer group, will consider a draft ordinance that seeks to impose limits on the number of dogs and cats that may be kept in unincorporated areas of the county at its meeting today, at 5:30PM in the Marion […]

On Wednesday, February 5, 2025, the Maryland House Judiciary Committee will consider a bill that seeks to increase the cap on compensatory damages for which a person who tortiously causes an injury to or death of a pet is liable. Those who wish may comment on this bill using the information below. Summary: Under current […]

The Connecticut Joint Planning and Development Committee’s public hearing agenda for Monday, February 3, 2025, includes HB 6832, which would give Connecticut cities and towns the authority to locally ban pet retail sales of dogs, cats, and rabbits.  The American Kennel Club (AKC) opposes HB 6832 and encourages all concerned Connecticut residents to share their […]

Yesterday, the DeKalb County, Georgia, Board of Commissioners again deferred consideration of a controversial dog ordinance that as currently written includes litter permits, sales restrictions, and incomplete consumer protections. As noted by County Attorney Ernstes during yesterday’s meeting, a new version of the ordinance is being drafted, “that will look very different than the ordinance…on […]

On Wednesday, February 12, 2025, the New Hampshire (NH) House Judiciary Committee will hear public testimony on HB 593, which seeks to expand the relationships eligible for “loss of consortium” damages. House Bill 593 would (1) newly define “loss of consortium” as the loss of love, companionship, comfort, care, assistance, protection, affection, society, and moral […]

On Thursday, February 6, 2025, the Maine Legislature’s Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry is scheduled to accept public testimony on LD 133, An Act to Amend the Laws Regarding Nuisance Dogs. The bill would (1) amend the definition of “nuisance dog” as it appears in Maine’s dangerous dog laws; (2) label any dog that […]