— Importance of Responsible Dog Ownership Now Recognized by 23 States —
As a state that is fighting extremely restrictive dog ordinance proposals, Kentucky has joined the growing list of states that have passed AKC Canine Good Citizen® (CGC™) resolutions. Kentucky's CGC resolution endorses the CGC program and acknowledges that problems related to dogs are really problems about the need for responsible dog ownership.
Rep. Charles Miller, a long time supporter of educational programs, was the sponsor of Kentucky's CGC resolution. AKC dog fancier Connie Morris and John Fowler, President of the Greater Louisville Training Club, worked closely with Rep. Miller on the resolution.
“Kentucky's CGC resolution is important because it stresses the importance of responsible dog ownership,” said CGC Director Mary Burch. “If dog owners would adhere to the CGC Responsible Dog Owner's Pledge, there would be no need for restrictive legislation anywhere.”
“The American Kennel Club applauds Rep. Miller for thinking about dogs and their owners,” said AKC Vice President of Communications Noreen Baxter. “We are extremely proud that Rep. Miller recognized the potential of the AKC Canine Good Citizen Program to promote responsible dog ownership in our communities. Reasonable ordinances that respect the rights of responsible dog owners and dog owner education programs are the combination that ensures we can all live happily with our dogs.”
With the addition of Kentucky, in total 23 states have adopted CGC™ resolutions, including North Carolina, Massachusetts, Maine, Florida, Kansas, Alaska, Utah, Illinois, Louisiana, Georgia, New York, Alabama, Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Michigan, Washington, New Hampshire, Delaware, Colorado, Texas and the U.S. Senate.
CGC™ is a 10-step certification program that rewards dogs with good manners at home and in the community. Viewed as the first step in dog training, CGC™ lays the foundation for other AKC activities such as obedience, agility, rally, tracking and performance events. CGC™ is one of the fastest growing programs at AKC and it has become a model for similar programs adapted in countries such as England, Australia, Japan, Hungary, Denmark and Canada.
Additionally, police and animal control agencies use CGC™ for dealing with dog problems in communities; therapy dog groups use CGC™ as a partial screening tool; and, some 4-H groups around the country have been using the CGC™ as a beginning dog training program for children.