Alderman Burke has postponed a vote on the proposed mandatory spay/neuter ordinance. Over 130 people signed up to address the committee about the issue and several aldermen questioned whether this was an effective and economical policy for the city to pursue. AKC thanks the many breeders and responsible owners who attended the meeting as well […]

The AKC urges all responsible dog owners and breeders to call or email your state legislators TODAY regarding two important pieces of legislation that are scheduled for consideration on Tuesday, March 11 and Wednesday, March 12, 2009. It is crucial that constituents communicate their opposition to these measures immediately. Although we are awaiting amendments for […]

California Senate Bill 250 has been amended and set for a hearing in the Senate Local Government Committee for April 15th. We need all California fanciers, responsible dog owners and breeders, and clubs to write and oppose this legislation. Letters must be received by April 8 to be reflected on the committee analysis. SB 250's […]

The American Kennel Club Government Relations Department has confirmed that Senate Bill 460 will be considered by the North Carolina Senate Commerce Committee on Thursday, April 30.  Details are as follows: DATE: Thursday, April 30, 2009 TIME: 9:00 AM – Please plan to be arrive no later than 8:30 AM, dressed in professional attire. LOCATION: […]

The Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on SB 250 has been rescheduled for May 11th. Please click here for sample letters that clubs and individuals can personalize. California Senate Bill 250 passed the Senate Local Government Committee on a vote of 3-1 and will be heard by the Senate Appropriations Committee on May 4th. The bill […]

Senate Bill 460, a bill which regulates breeders and infringes on the rights of responsible dog owners, will be heard in the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday, June 30.  All responsible dog breeders and owners in North Carolina are encouraged to attend the hearing on Tuesday in opposition to the bill.  We need to show […]

Assembly Bill 241 passed out of the Senate Public Safety Committee today on a vote of 4-0. Although the bill failed 3-3 in committee on Tuesday, another vote was held today to allow Senator Steinberg, who was absent Tuesday, to cast his vote. Assemblyman Pedro Nava, AB 241’s author, verbally agreed to amend the bill, […]

Senate Bill 250 has been sent to the Assembly Appropriations Suspense File because staff expects the bill to cost the state more than $150,000 a year to enforce. The committee will schedule a Suspense File hearing prior to the August 28th fiscal deadline. Once the date of that hearing is known, we will post an […]

The Massachusetts legislature’s Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government has scheduled consideration of 14 dog-related bills at its meeting on Tuesday, July 14th.  Another bill of importance, HB 344 (see info, below) will be heard concurrently by the Joint Judiciary Committee.  The American Kennel Club (AKC) and its Massachusetts federation, the Massachusetts Federation of […]

Today, North Carolina Senate Bill 460 was assigned to the House Committee on Commerce, Small Business, and Entrepreneurship.  The House Committee on Finance will also consider SB 460 if the Commerce committee approves the bill.  Both the American Kennel Club and the North Carolina Federation of Dog Clubs continue to oppose SB 460. Because the […]

North Carolina Senate Bill 460 passed the House Commerce Committee yesterday on a 14-12 vote with several amendments. The measure is now scheduled to be heard Monday afternoon in the House Finance Committee. If the bill passes Finance, it will be voted on that evening by the full House. It is imperative that all concerned […]

Last week, House Bill 344, which seeks to ban the surgical devocalization of dogs, passed the Massachusetts House of Representatives. The bill is now under the consideration of the Senate Committee on Rules and Ethics. The American Kennel Club is concerned that, if enacted, this legislation will lead to the unnecessary euthanization of many animals.  […]

Florida Senate Bill 122, sponsored by Senator Larcenia Bullard, will be considered by the Florida Senate Agriculture Committee on Wednesday, April 7th, at 9:00 AM.  The bill seeks to require pet dealers to provide purchasers with written notices that impugn the genetic health of purebred dogs and increases fines to unreasonable amounts.  The American Kennel […]

The Ohio House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee has scheduled a public hearing on House Bill 79 for Wednesday, April 14.  This bill, sponsored by Representative Barbara Sears of Lucas County, removes the term "pit bull" from Ohio’s statutory definition of dangerous dogs.  Ohio is currently the only state to have enacted statewide breed-specific legislation.  […]

U.S. Senator Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) introduced US Senate bill S. 3424 late Tuesday evening. The bill is designed to close the “internet loophole” in the Animal Welfare Act which allows breeders who sell numerous puppies over the internet or directly to the public to avoid the USDA regulation required of other breeder-retailers. The measure, called […]

New York Assembly Bill 5507, known as "Charlemagne’s Law", will be considered by the New York Assembly Agriculture Committee tomorrow, Tuesday, May 18.  Among its many provisions, the bill seeks to amend the state’s existing definition of "pet dealer", creates a new definition of "commercial kennels", and seeks to impact those designated as such with […]

The AKC Government Relations Department has learned that the House Finance Committee will likely consider Senate Bill 460 on Wednesday, June 30, 2010.  This bill was originally scheduled to be heard on June 24, but the hearing was postponed after the committee received an enormous volume of calls and e-mails from concerned dog owners and […]

Thanks to the overwhelming number of calls received by concerned North Carolinians, the House Finance Committee has delayed its hearing on Senate Bill 460. It is possible the bill may be heard in committee next week instead. We will be sure to keep you informed as we learn more.   The AKC thanks all the […]

The AKC Government Relations Department has learned that the House Finance Committee will likely consider Senate Bill 460 on Thursday, June 24.  It is essential that all North Carolina dog lovers call AND e-mail members of the House Finance Committee TODAY.  Tell them that responsible dog owners and breeders oppose SB 460, and respectfully ask […]

The Missouri House Rural Development Committee is expected to consider a resolution on Tuesday, February 15, that would protect animal owners from undue economic burdens and regulations.   If passed by the General Assembly, it would appear on the November 2012 ballot. All Missouri dog owners and breeders are encouraged to contact the committee and ask […]

The Illinois House Agriculture & Conservation Committee is scheduled to consider a bill on Tuesday, February 22, that would remove the state ban on breed-specific legislation.  All responsible dog owners are strongly encouraged to contact the committee and ask them to oppose House Bill 1080. Summary: Illinois is currently one of 11 states that specifically […]

The St. Joseph (MO) City Council will be voting on new regulations on Tuesday, February 22, that would require licensing, inspection, and strict care and conditions requirements for anyone who owns three intact dogs of any age for breeding or exhibition.  The guidelines would also affect anyone who is involved with boarding or rescue.  The […]

A Massachusetts legislative committee is scheduled to consider House Bill 1023 on July 19 - a bill that would significantly change the definition of kennel to encompass training facilities or any dog event with more than 12 dogs. All those meeting the new criteria would be required to comply with all state and local licensing […]

The Suffolk County, New York Legislature has scheduled a public hearing on August 2 for IR-1545, a measure that contains numerous inaccurate, misleading, and unsubstantiated claims that impugn the integrity of the American Kennel Club and the many responsible local AKC dog owners and breeders who devote their lives to the wellbeing of dogs. The […]

The Shelby County, TN Commission will hold a third and final vote on proposed changes to the county animal control ordinance on January 9, 2012 at 1:30 p.m.  The proposed ordinance includes a provision that would make it a violation to leave a companion animal unattended in a vehicle for more than one hour when the […]

The Maryland House Environmental Matters Committee is scheduled to consider House Bill 912 on Thursday, March 1. This bill seeks to change the word "owner" to "guardian" in numerous places within state code, which would likely result in a dramatic restriction in the rights of dog owners and veterinarians to properly care for and protect […]

The West Virginia Senate has passed Senate Bill 406, which would impose onerous restrictions on those who own 11 or more intact dogs. While some exemptions are included, the AKC believes they are vague and may still impact hobbyists who are not truly commercial breeders. The bill has now been assigned to the House Judiciary […]

New Hampshire Senate Bill 370, which seeks to impose ownership limits and other restrictions on responsible dog breeders and owners, has been introduced and will be considered by the Senate Executive Departments and Administration Committee on Thursday, January 19, 2012.  The American Kennel Club and our New Hampshire federation, the Dog Owners of the Granite […]

Two bills are pending in the Iowa Senate that would impose detrimental requirements on those who are classified as "commercial breeders". In current law, a "commercial breeder" is defined as anyone who owns at least four intact dogs or cats and receives any consideration for breeding. These bills would significantly restrict the ability of those […]

Senate Bill 2494 is scheduled to be heard by the Hawaii Senate Committee on Judiciary and Labor on Wednesday, February 29, 2012. This bill would require owners of ten or more intact dogs to pay a $500 biennial license fee, allow unannounced inspections of their private homes, limit their ability to make decisions about breeding […]