The Riverside County Board of Supervisors has released the specifics of their mandatory spay/neuter ordinance and mandatory microchip proposal. The measure will require all dogs and cats to be spayed or neutered unless the owner qualifies for and purchases an intact animal license. A first violation of the mandatory spay/neuter ordinance can result in a […]

AB 2110 Fails to Pass Committee Assembly Bill 2110 was held yesterday in the Appropriations Committee Suspense File and can not move forward. The bill would have prohibited field trials in the state of California. Congratulations to all fanciers and field trial participants who worked to oppose this measure.     California Bill Would Outlaw […]

New York, NY – The American Kennel Club® Board of Directors has adopted a new Judging Conflict of Interest Policy, effective January 1, 2007.  AKC® believes that it has the best judges in the world and expends millions of dollars a year to administer its judging approval system to ensure that quality remains high. "AKC […]

Assembly Bill 2110 was recently amended and the new language will affect certain AKC sanctioned events. The bill will prohibit "live field coursing," which is now defined as "a competition in which dogs are, by the use of rabbits, hares, or foxes, assessed as to skill in hunting live rabbits, hares, or foxes." AB 2110 […]

  -- Gina Weiser, Rosalind Kraus and John Leininger Join Executive Field Staff; Walter Bebout Named Director of Canine Legislation; Penny Leigh and Phil Guidry to Internal Consulting Group; Michael Shea to Retire -- American Kennel Club Chief Operating Officer John Lyons today announced the appointments of six longtime fanciers to key positions at AKC. […]

  Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) and Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) today released a "Discussion Draft" of an amended version of S. 1139, the "Pet Animal Welfare Statute of 2005" (PAWS). The Discussion Draft includes language clarifying several original provisions and adds some new provisions which resulted from input following a November 2005 hearing on the […]

  --David Keene and Dr. William R. Newman Elected to Board of Directors; Incumbent Director Nina Schaefer Re-Elected; Ronald H. Menaker and David C. Merriam Re-Elected as Chairman and Vice Chairman Respectively -- The Annual Meeting of the AKC Delegates and subsequent meeting of the Board of Directors took place on March 14, 2006. David […]

I'm pleased to report that Senator Rick Santorum this past weekend provided us with an advance copy of his "discussion draft" of an amended version of the "Pet Animal Welfare Statute of 2005" (PAWS) bill. This discussion draft will be posted on the Senator's web site (http://santorum.senate.gov/public/index.cfm) this week. The draft clarifies several original provisions […]

Senator Santorum's staff and Senate legislative counsel have completed a draft of the revised PAWS bill. The draft was provided to the US Department of Agriculture and the 26 Senate co-sponsors of PAWS at a briefing last week for their review and comment. The Discussion Draft of PAWS will be made public after input from […]

Annual Benefit for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Has Raised Nearly $3 Million to Date New York, NY — The American Kennel Club (AKC®) announced today that it will sanction the renowned Decatur County – St. Jude World's Largest Coon Hunt. The event, which has been raising funds for the St. Jude's Children's Hospital for […]

  New York, NY -- The American Kennel Club (AKC®) announced today the winners of the 2006 AKC Lifetime Achievement Awards. The awards will be presented to the winners by AKC President and Chief Executive Officer, Dennis B. Sprung, at the January 17, 2006 Delegates Meeting in Tampa, Florida, in conjunction with the AKC/Eukanuba National […]

-- Click here for more information about PAWS -- --Monday June, 13 AKC Delegate Meeting, Chicago IL Remarks from Dr. James Holt, AKC's Legislative Liaison Regarding the Pet Animal Welfare Statute of 2005-- The Chair now calls on Dr. James Holt, AKC's Legislative Liaison to address this body. Dr. Holt: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and […]

-- Click here for more information about PAWS -- The following is an interview with AKC's federal government relations consultant Jim Holt in response to dog owners' questions about PAWS. The article originally appeared in Dog News June 10th, 2005. Who is regulated under current law and how would PAWS change that? In simple terms, […]

-- Click here for more information about PAWS -- To help dog owners better understand the recently introduced PAWS legislation, please see the bill analysis below as prepared by Dr. James Holt, AKC's federal government relations consultant. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS OF S. 1139/H.R. 2669, THE "PET ANIMAL WELFARE STATUTE" (PAWS) INTRODUCED MAY 26, 2005. […]

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." […]

  The American Kennel Club announced today the appointment of Stephen F. Fielder as Director of Coonhound Events. Fielder comes to AKC with a wealth of experience gained during a 22-year career in the field of purebred dogs. With a special emphasis on coonhounds, he has held numerous positions with United Kennel Club (UKC) and […]

While many of the dog breeds we know and enjoy today originated in other countries, there are a number of AKC registered breeds which were developed on American soil, and each has its own unique history and heritage: Alaskan Malamute - The Alaskan Malamute, one of the oldest Arctic sled dogs, was named after the […]

The American Kennel Club today announced that 54 Junior Scholarships have been awarded to students from 25 states. The scholarships totaling $100,000 range from $1,000 to $5,000 and winners include students from high school to graduate school. "The AKC recognizes the important role our young fanciers play in the future of the sport of purebred […]

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day on Wednesday, March 17th, the American Kennel Club celebrates seven purebred dogs of Irish heritage that are AKC registrable or are in the AKC miscellaneous class. Additional information, including the full breed standards, links to Parent Club web sites and video clips of each breed, is available a this […]

As seen in the 1/18 issue of USA Weekend Magazine, the AKC has just released its registration numbers for 2003. For the 14th consecutive year, the Labrador Retriever is the most popular purebred dog in America, according to registration figures released today by the American Kennel Club*. Nearly three times as many Labs were registered […]

  Just like our immigrant ancestors, most of the dog breeds we know and enjoy today originated in other countries and came to the United States later on. However, there are a number of AKC registered breeds which were developed on American soil, and each has its own unique history and heritage: Alaskan Malamute - […]

The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever (Toller) officially joined the ranks of the American Kennel Club on July 1, 2003. As of this date the Toller will enjoy regular status as an AKC-recognized breed in the Sporting Group, and the addition will round out the total number of AKC-recognized breeds to 150. Coincidentally, this Canadian […]

Field trialers and hunt test enthusiasts in Indiana who have been frustrated by their state's recent restrictions on performance events have an opportunity to share their thoughts with state officials in June. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Fish and Wildlife is hosting a series of open houses around the state June 3-11th. […]

  The summer 2003 issue of AKC Family Dog, a new lifestyle magazine with a focus on purebred dogs, is almost here. The latest issue, available June 1st, is packed with how-to's, news updates, and vital information to help owners provide all the best for their pet.   Media may request advance copies of feature […]

A newly created 2-day Advanced AKC Judge's Seminar for the Retriever Hunting Test will be held May 31-June 1 in Glasgow, Delaware. The first day will consist of classroom instruction with emphasis on areas such as Pre-test Responsibilities, Test Planning & Setup, Day of the Test, and Evaluating & Scoring. Day two will be held […]

The dangerous dog bill in Iowa has a new number, SF446 (formerly SSB1195), and the breed-specific aspects of the bill have been dropped. Unfortunately, the bill is so poorly written that it now puts all dogs in jeopardy. SF446 declares all unleashed or unmuzzled dogs dangerous and never addresses the behavior of the dog itself […]

The AKC Board of Directors, at its April 7-8, 2003 meeting, reviewed the cost of the Events Department and the necessity for the users and beneficiaries of AKC services to share in at least a portion of these costs. Effective for events held on and after January 1, 2004, AKC will collect a $1.50 AKC […]

  At the AKC Delegate Meeting on March 11, Dr. Patricia H. Haines was elected to the AKC Board of Directors, Class of 2007, and Dr. Carmen L. Battaglia and Mrs. Patti L. Strand were re-elected. Ronald H. Menaker was re-elected Chairman of the Board and David C. Merriam was re-elected Vice-Chairman.   Dr. Patricia […]

In celebration of St. Patrick's Day on Monday, March 17th, 2003 the American Kennel Club celebrates seven purebred dogs of Irish heritage. Additional information including the full breed standards, links to Parent Club web sites and video clips of each breed, is available on this site.   The Glen of Imaal Terrier - "There is […]

  The recipients of the AKC 2003 Lifetime Achievement Awards were announced at the December 10 Delegates meeting in Orlando, FL. The Lifetime Achievement Awards honor those individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the sport of purebred dogs on a national level. The recipients were selected by votes cast by AKC member clubs for […]