Tomorrow, Thursday, February 12, 2026, the Philadelphia City Council will be considering a proposal that would impose a three-year moratorium on the breeding, sale, and transfer of puppies under seven months of age in Philadelphia. You are strongly encouraged to act now and mobilize others to protect responsible breeding and dog ownership in Philadelphia by […]

S250, a bill to prohibit ear cropping in Vermont, passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday and now moves to the full Senate. The bill was amended slightly to clarify that owners will not be penalized if they have their dogs' ears cropped in another state where the practice is legal. The new […]

This week State Senator Gene Yaw introduced Senate Bill 907 which would establish an Animal Welfare Board.  The bill, which will allow for a comprehensive review of current and future regulations regarding dogs in the Commonwealth, is supported by the AKC and has been assigned to the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee. SB 907 […]

Recently, the Virginia General Assembly adjourned its 2021 session.  During the short 30-day session, a few bills relating to dogs and dog owners were considered. Those bills monitored by AKC Government Relations included: House Bill 2109: As originally introduced, this bill sought to expands the regulatory and policymaking Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services by […]

The two-year Georgia legislative session ended last week with wins for dogs and dog owners. The American Kennel Club Government Relations team (AKC GR) thanks the Georgia Canine Coalition (GCC), AKC club members, and every individual who contacted lawmakers and spread the word to fellow owners about legislation that affects dogs. Special thanks go out […]

UPDATE (June 1, 2015):  Governor McCrory vetoed HB 405 on Friday, May 29.  The legislature now has the option of overriding this veto with a 3/5 majority vote in both chambers.  The AKC supports this measure and urges North Carolinians to contact their state senator and representative today and ask them support a veto override. Visit […]

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today released a letter advising of a change in the rules pertaining to importation of cats and dogs into the United States. Effective August 1, 2024, the CDC is implementing a process to standardize imports that will require that all dogs being imported into the U.S. […]

Canine Extravaganza, the nation’s largest celebration of dogs, returns to Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center’s North/South Building this December 16 and 17 with exciting elements for all dog lovers.    Presented by the American Kennel Club® (AKC) and Royal Canin, a global dog food brand, this two-day event takes place on Saturday and Sunday from […]

– The Spanish Water Dog, Cirneco dell’Etna, Bergamasco, & Boerboel Gain Full AKC Recognition – New York, NY –The pack has expanded! The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) announced today that the Spanish Water Dog, Cirneco dell’Etna, Bergamasco, and Boerboel gained full AKC recognition. This brings AKC’s roster of recognized breeds to 184. "The AKC is […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC®), the world’s largest purebred dog registry and leading advocate for all dogs, is excited to announce the winners of the first-ever AKC/USPCA K9 Detection Dog Challenge. The event, hosted by the AKC and the United States Police Canine Association, brought out the best of the nation’s narcotics and explosives detection […]