There are currently two ordinances being proposed at the county level in Florida which have the potential to dramatically impact the rights of fanciers and hobby breeders. Your help is needed to defeat these proposals and protect the rights of Floridians to responsibly breed, show and own unaltered animals.   Palm Beach County Palm Beach […]

On Wednesday, April 20th, the Massachusetts Federation of Dog Clubs and Responsible Dog Owners (Mass Fed) held its first-ever Lobby Day at the State House in Boston. The following is a summary of a report submitted by Charlotte McGowan, the federation’s Legislative Liaison. We extend our congratulations to all who participated in this very successful […]

HB1128 has resurfaced in Illinois with amended language that will directly impact anyone who shows and/or breeds dogs. Fanciers will recall that this bill originally would have permitted cities and counties to enact breed-specific laws. Dog owners successfully convinced legislators not to support such language and were pleased to learn that Rep. Jerry Mitchell had […]

Update! Sen. Sandoval’s office has told AKC and the Illinois Dog Clubs and Breeders Association that the Senator has reconsidered his position on SB1790 and will no longer support it. Many thanks to the countless dog owners who responded swiftly to our initial alert with calls and e-mails—your efforts made all the difference! With breed-specific […]

Rep. Jerry Mitchell has introduced HB1128, a bill to allow Illinois municipalities to enact breed-specific laws. (A statewide dangerous dog law passed only two years ago prohibits such legislation.) The bill is scheduled to be heard by the House Committee on Agriculture and Conservation on Wednesday, February 23rd at 2 p.m. The American Kennel Club […]

The American Kennel Club today announced that 58 Junior Scholarships have been awarded to students from 26 states. The scholarships for high school, college and graduate school students range from $1,000 to $5,000 each for a total of $100,000. "The Junior Scholarship program is a special way for AKC to honor the hard work and […]

  Small dogs—those weighing less than 20 pounds—have held a steady place in the hearts of Americans over the past four years according to American Kennel Club registration statistics. Since 2000, four of the top ten most popular breeds have been small dogs, indicating that while Americans may be gravitating towards bigger cars and appetites […]

  Clubs Invited to Hold Educational Events For AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day The American Kennel Club (AKC) is pleased to announce that the third annual AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day will be held on Saturday, September 17th (the day the AKC was founded in 1884). The goal of the initiative is to educate first-time […]

New York, NY – The American Kennel Club (AKC) announced today that Charlotte McGowan has been named a recipient of the AKC Community Achievement Award for her diligent work on legislative matters of interest to the dog fancy. She was one of two honorees this quarter – Port Chester Obedience Training Club of Port Chester, […]

In the fall of 2004, the Board embarked on a strategic planning initiative designed to establish a roadmap for accomplishing the very important mission of the AKC. Given the challenges we face from anti-dog legislation, animal rights extremists, and competing registries, we believe it is essential to develop a clear plan for the future.  To […]