March 30, 2015 A bill is scheduled for a hearing TOMORROW (Tuesday, March 31) in the North Carolina Senate State and Local Government Committee that would allow Raleigh law enforcement and peace officers to adopt the animals they worked with or handled during the animal’s service.  A companion House measure (HB 199) has passed committee […]

By Margie RuckerReprinted from: The Canine Chronicle Piper is my Service Dog. Piper does not look like the typical service dog. Piper's undeniable charm, stature, and jolly demeanor elicits amused skepticism and, occasionally, unkind comments. Over time I've learned that all responses are opportunities for me to provide accurate information and to advocate for the […]

Gander Raises Awareness of Service Dogs’ Healing Magic     When the 2014 winners of the AKC Humane Fund Awards of Canine Excellence (ACE) were presented at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championships, the roll call included a former shelter dog who almost lost his life and a military veteran who nearly took his own life. Gander […]

Current New Jersey law allows students with a disability to bring service animals into classrooms and school grounds, but fails to specifically allow them to bring service animals (including service dogs) onto school busses. New Jersey Assembly Bill 3690 and Senate Bill 2601 seek to remedy that oversight by clearly allowing disabled students to bring […]

Yesterday, a resolution was introduced in the California Assembly to recognize September as Service Dog Appreciation Month to honor service and working dogs, and declare “that Californians are grateful for the service and dedication these loyal companions provide for their owners and communities.” AKC encourages California dog owners to thank the author for introducing HR […]

Service dogs, working dogs, emotional support dogs, and therapy dogs all provide aid and support to humans. But they're not the same. What's the difference?

In November, a 2-year-old black Labrador Retriever named Hatty made headlines as the first facility dog to be employed by the Cook County State Attorney’s Office in Illinois. Specifically, Hatty has been tasked with providing courtroom comfort to child victims of violence and sexual assault. Trained and provided by the St. Louis-based organization Duo Dogs, […]

Humans aren’t the only members of the workforce!  The American Kennel Club (AKC®) celebrates the evolution of our canine coworkers – what jobs they were originally bred to perform and what work you can see them doing now.  Dogs go above and beyond each and every day, not only as beloved family pets, but as […]

On Veteran’s Day, it’s appropriate to remember and thank those who have selflessly served in our nation’s armed forces.  It’s also an opportunity to consider the needs of those veterans who return home in need of ongoing assistance related to their service. The American Kennel Club strongly supports programs that help veterans receive and maintain […]

Humans aren’t the only members of the workforce!  The American Kennel Club (AKC®) celebrates the evolution of our canine coworkers – what jobs they were originally bred to perform and what work you can see them doing now.  Dogs go above and beyond each and every day, not only as beloved family pets, but as […]