The AKC Government Relations team has just become aware that the San Marcos City Council will consider a proposed ordinance which will define hobby breeders, limiting them to only three “breeding dogs, cats and/or rabbits.” It is unclear how a breeding dog, cat or rabbit would be identified and what would happen to resident breeders […]

The Senate Agriculture Committee will be marking up draft language pertaining to federal dog laws in the 2026 Senate Farm Bill later this month.  As introduced, the bill supports important priorities for dog enthusiasts and responsible breeders, including canine health, welfare and the rights of responsible dog owners and breeders.  As a constituent of an […]

AKC Government Relations has just learned that on Tuesday, June 2nd the Taos County, NM Board of County Commissioners will consider proposed changes to county animal control ordinances that include: Mandatory spay/neuter provisions Burdensome licensing fees Leash requirements that could deem your dog to be “at-large” even when on your own property, and Limit laws […]

Palm Beach County Adopts Mandatory Spay/Neuter and Hobby Breeder Restrictions [February 6, 2008] Yesterday afternoon the Palm Beach County Commission voted 5-1 to restrict the rights of responsible dog owners and breeders. Commissioner Kanjian was the only member who voted to support the responsible dog owners and breeders of Palm Beach County. AKC thanks all […]

The Joint Municipalities and Regional Government Committee of the Massachusetts General Court is scheduled to consider 14 legislative proposals at its next meeting on Thursday, January 21, 2016.  Included in the agenda are bills pertaining to dogs.  All concerned Massachusetts dog owners are encouraged to contact the members of the Joint Municipalities and Regional Government […]

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 […]

On October 22, the Ojai City Council voted 4-1 to adopt a first-in-the-nation law that prohibits the breeding of dogs and cats with “congenital anatomical features” that are likely to cause the animal or its offspring to suffer pain, deformity, or difficult expressing natural behaviors, difficulty breathing, difficultly with physical exertion or exercise, or difficulty […]

A bill placing numerous new overreaching requirements on all dog trainers in California is scheduled for a committee hearing on April 19. It is important that all dog trainers and responsible dog owners in the state use the information below to contact the author’s office and committee members TODAY.  Respectfully let them know you oppose […]

The full U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled vote on the Farm Bill (H.R. 7567 – the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, the week of 27th.  The AKC is proud to support the version of the Farm Bill slated for consideration by the House as it includes important priorities for dog enthusiasts […]

The top dogs in the nation were crowned from an overall entry of 132 dogs this past weekend at the AKC Rally Champion (RACH) Invitational. Competitions were held December 11-12, 2025, in conjunction with the 25th AKC® National Championship Presented by Royal Canin at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL. The winners: AKC […]