New Jersey Assembly Bill 3044, which seeks to create state oversight of dog groomers, is scheduled to be considered by the Assembly Regulated Professions Committee on Monday, October 15.  The American Kennel Club (AKC) is concerned with two aspects of A.3044, which include the vagueness of the current wording believed to exempt handlers of show […]

A pair of bills in New York regulating home-based dog breeders were recently amended, but our concerns still remain. As written, Senate Bill 8252 and Assembly Bill 8653 require anyone who, in a year, breeds and sells/offers to sell more than nine animals born that are raised on a residential premises to be licensed and […]

Two dog-related bills in Minnesota have been scheduled for consideration by the House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee this week.  The American Kennel Club (AKC) supports House File 1532, which seeks to prohibit insurance companies from discriminating against owners of certain breeds.  AKC opposes House File 1276, which seeks to restrict consumer choice by forcing […]

The San Antonio City Council will meet August 31st at 9am to consider the 5-Year Strategic Plan, which currently includes a proposed spay/neuter ordinance, breeder permits and a bill of rights for animals. It is imperative that concerned dog owners and fanciers attend this meeting and email council members and staff to educate them about […]

Immediate help is needed to stop two poorly written bills that would hurt responsible dog owners in Illinois ! HB4213 Background: Introduced by Rep. Michael Tryon on December 1st, 2005, HB4213 automatically deems American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, "pit bulls," Pit Bull Terriers, Rottweilers and Staffordshire Terriers vicious and requires owners of these […]

The Clark County, NV County Commission will consider changes to their animal control code on Tuesday, November 17th which will negatively impact breeders, fanciers and dog owners. It is imperative that responsible owners and breeders contact their county commissioners and attend this meeting to oppose these changes. Clark County, NV is revising their existing breeder […]

The Utah House Labor and Business Committee is scheduled to consider an amended version of the bill to regulate breeders at a hearing tomorrow, February 16. While some provisions such as breeder permits are expected to be removed, other concerns remain that would impact those who breed and raise dogs in their homes. Hobbyists and […]

March 15, 2019 A bill making numerous changes to Iowa’s breeder laws continues to move through the Iowa House of Representatives. While some changes are a positive advancement, there are many concerning provisions that could unnecessarily harm dogs and responsible dog owners and breeders. Due to Iowa legislative procedures, House Study Bill 227, which passed […]

Thursday, August 6, 2015 The New Jersey Senate’s Economic Growth Committee will consider five proposals dealing with dogs on Monday, August 10.  The American Kennel Club encourages all dog owners in New Jersey to review the proposals and contact the members of the committee with any concerns you may have.  Assembly Bill 2389 and Senate […]

Representative Gutierrez’s office has confirmed that HB 1106, the Pet Owner Responsibility Act will not move forward this session. Congratulations to the fanciers and concerned dog owners who took the time to educate their legislators about this important issue.   New Mexico Bill to Make Spay and Neuter Mandatory [Wednesday, February 14, 2007 New Mexico […]

The Indiana General Assembly will hear two bills on Tuesday regarding breeding regulations in Indiana. The House Judiciary Committee is expected to hear Senate Bill 238, a bill originally dealing with basic animal cruelty issues. An amendment will be offered in this bill to strictly regulate commercial breeders in Indiana. The Senate Corrections, Criminal, and […]

The New York City Council Committee on Health is scheduled to consider several revised measures on Monday, November 24 that would impact pet stores and breeders who sell more than 25 dogs in New York City in a year. Thanks to AKC’s communications with the council, and your calls and e-mails earlier this year, the […]

The Joint Environment Committee of the Connecticut General Assembly will consider five proposals on Friday, March 20, 2015, that deal with dogs. Connecticut residents are encouraged to contact the committee members and express their support or concerns with the proposals. SYNOPSES OF BILLS HB 5707 HB 5707 seeks to provide for the proper sheltering of […]

On Thursday, April 10, 2025, starting at 5PM, the Senate Committee on Judiciary is scheduled to accept testimony on multiple dog related bills. The American Kennel Club (AKC) is strongly opposed to two and encourages residents to review two others for possible outcomes. S.551 – CRUELTY TO ANIMALS – OPPOSE Seeking to further the interest […]

House Bill 1883, the Working Animal Protection Act, seeks to protect use of working animals in human service and animal enterprise.  HB 1883 has passed in House committee, and will next be voted on by the full House.  A House vote could be held as early as Monday, April 19, 2021. Owners, handlers, and exhibitors […]

September 25, 2019 A Prince George’s County (Maryland) policy committee is expected to consider numerous changes to the county’s animal laws at a hearing tomorrow, Thursday, September 26. Those who reside or participate in dog events and activities in Maryland are strongly encouraged to contact the Prince George’s County committee and express concerns with how […]

The Sarasota County Commission will consider a proposed ordinance which will define hobby breeders and possibly limit the amount of animals they may own and/or the number of litter they may have in a year. The measure also attempts to restrict the sales of pets from legal, licensed and regulated pet sellers. All breeders and […]

The Santa Fe County Commission is holding the first of two public hearings on Tuesday, September 13, on a proposal that would impact all dog owners residing or participating in events in the county. Those who reside or participate in events in the county are strongly encouraged to contact the committee, and if possible, attend […]

The Boise City Council is requesting public feedback on a number of changes to the city’s animal control ordinance until March 30, 2021. This “kitchen sink” bill contains over 40 pages of changes, including requiring written permission from neighbors to keep four dogs on your property, allowing private citizens to remove dogs from cars, the […]

On Wednesday, the Ohio House Government Accountability and Oversight Committee advanced a bill that makes numerous changes to the state’s laws regulating high volume dog breeders. As passed by the committee, House Bill 506, sponsored by Representative Brian Hill, is an effort to update the laws in a reasonable manner.  We thank Representative Hill for […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC) emphatically supports freedom of choice in selecting a pet. AKC actively promotes efforts to ensure that people are educated, understand the demands of responsible ownership and have access to a pet that is right for them.

New Jersey Assemblyman Neil Cohen has announced that he will not move the controversial A. 3401 in its current form. However, he is committed to sponsoring a breeder regulation bill when the legislature returns for general session. Asm. Cohen has asked that concerned fanciers contact him via email at asmcohen@njleg.org with comments and suggestions about […]

Tomorrow, Thursday, March 9, 2023, the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee is scheduled to vote on Senate Bill 456, a bill that would trample the due process rights of animal owners. SOUTH CAROLINA ANIMAL OWNERS – PLEASE TAKE ACTION IMMEDIATELY!  All animal owners in South Carolina are urged to immediately contact committee members and […]

Including the family dog in the family vacation plans this summer can be a great alternative to sending Rover off to the local kennel. By planning ahead, you can ensure a safe and enjoyable trip for you and your cherished canine companion. The American Kennel Club provides tips on what you need to know: By […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to recognize breeding programs from the Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding groups as 2020 AKC Breeder of the Year group honorees. “We are proud to honor these esteemed breeders,” said Dennis Sprung, AKC President and CEO. “Each of them has made important contributions to the […]

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 […]

More Canine Victims of the Hurricanes Airlifted Out of Ravaged Area Continuing its efforts to aid the canine victims of the hurricane affected areas, the American Kennel Club (AKC®), along with its affiliate AKC Companion Animal Recovery (AKC CAR), airlifted 4,000 pounds of furry passengers to Illinois and Wisconsin. This is the sixth airlift of […]

The American Kennel Club faces enormous challenges in reversing the continuing decline in registrations. Today, we are losing market share at an alarming rate, especially in the retail sector. We are being challenged competitively and financially. The declining registrations and associated core revenues, if allowed to continue, will fundamentally change our organization going forward. Make […]

-- The Way Forward in 2014 -- Everyone who has ever produced a litter of puppies knows this time of year brings holiday cards from puppy buyers with heartwarming photos and most-welcome news about the progress and antics of those puppies during the year. The cards are both informative and inspiring as the breeder considers […]

Greetings everybody. A year ago, almost to the day, the American Kennel Club and our constituents had to face the grim reality of a lockdown due to an unprecedented pandemic. Incredibly, we are still grappling with this global disaster. COVID-19 has taken an unbearable toll on our Events, Clubs, Exhibitors, Handlers and Judges. But, there’s […]