Yesterday, the West Virginia House passed House Bill 2095 – comprehensive legislation that seeks to enhance West Virginia’s animal welfare laws covering everything from the care of animals in shelters to the care of animals by private individuals. This legislation will bring West Virginia law into alignment with reasonable, accepted animal husbandry and care laws […]

Meet Sophie Penson – Trick Trainer Extraordinaire! At age 17, Sophie has achieved more than many dog trainers do in a lifetime. She is already a celebrated trick dog trainer and has achieved many firsts in the field.  Name: Sophie Penson Age: 17 Hometown: Marietta, GA Grade: 11th Family: Parents, Nicole and Jimmy AKC: How old is Ducky and how did she come into […]

AKC Government Relations (AKC GR) has learned that this morning the House Business and Industry Committee approved HB 1818 by a vote of 7-2. AKC opposes HB 1818, which would limit pet stores located in counties of more than 200,000 residents to sourcing dogs from only: (1) an animal control agency, (2) an animal shelter, […]

House Bill 1152, among other provisions, seeks to allow the emergency transport of an injured police dog if there is no person requiring immediate medical attention or transport at the time, limit liability of the transporter, and allow a court to require the person who caused the injury to be responsible for costs of emergency […]

The New York Assembly is expected to soon vote on a bill that would prohibit homeowner’s insurance providers from refusing or cancelling coverage or increasing premiums based solely on the breed of dog owned by the policy holder. All responsible dog owners and breeders in New York are encouraged to contact their Assembly Member to […]

Here are some highlights of state-level issues AKC GR is currently tracking.  Alabama – HB 235 would authorize food service establishments to allow pet dogs in outdoor restaurant seating areas and sets out access, sanitation, and other requirements. It also specifies that emotional support animals are not service animals within the meaning of the Americans […]

March came in like a lion and continues to roar for the American Kennel Club’s Government Relations department (AKC GR). The GR team is currently tracking over 2,000 pieces of legislation and has sent out a record number of alerts to ensure that your rights as a dog owner, breeder, and fancier are not infringed […]

Local/Other: Issues at the City, County, and Metropolitan Levels, and in U.S. Territories The AKC Government Relations Department is pleased to assist dog owners with canine legislation issues in their local communities, but we can't help unless we are aware of the proposal. Please contact us at (919) 816-3720 or doglaw@akc.org when new laws are discussed or […]

The Connecticut Joint Committee on Human Services has voted in favor of an amended version of HB 6318, which has now been placed on the calendar of the full State House of Representatives for consideration.  Amended HB 6318 would: Make technical changes to align state law terms, such as references to “guide dog,” with federal […]

Volunteers may soon be seen throughout Colorado collecting signatures to put a measure on the November 2022 ballot that they will claim will protect animals in the state. The American Kennel Club joins many other animal welfare, livestock and animal husbandry groups in expressing grave concerns and opposition to the proposal. We urge all dog […]