Washington would become the 10th state to preclude breed-specific laws if pending legislation passes. HB2043 amends the state dangerous dog law to include "the breed of dog shall not be a determining factor when declaring a dog potentially dangerous or dangerous." This important amendment supports the position of the American Kennel Club and numerous other […]

Ensuring that the AKC has a solid financial foundation in order to achieve our mission and fund important new programs--both now and in the future--is integral to the continuation of our organization and sport. This is a fundamental responsibility of the Board of Directors.  The Board has adopted a policy that it will evaluate all […]

Faced with strong opposition from New Jersey dog owners, Assemblyman John Burzichelli has vowed to withdraw his breed-specific bill (A2906) when the legislature reconvenes in May. In a statement made on March 21st, Asm. Burzichelli said he plans to introduce new, generic legislation that will strengthen the state's dangerous dog law without targeting specific breeds. […]

UPDATE (March 21, 2003)—Rhode Island dog fanciers had a productive meeting with House Leader Gordon Fox this week regarding the “animal protection” bill (HB5817) that contains many troublesome provisions. Fox, who is a sponsor of HB5817, listened to the concerns expressed by the fancy and appears committed to addressing their many concerns. He will take […]

  At the AKC Delegate Meeting on March 11, Dr. Patricia H. Haines was elected to the AKC Board of Directors, Class of 2007, and Dr. Carmen L. Battaglia and Mrs. Patti L. Strand were re-elected. Ronald H. Menaker was re-elected Chairman of the Board and David C. Merriam was re-elected Vice-Chairman.   Dr. Patricia […]

In an ongoing effort to improve customer service, the American Kennel Club has launched the new AKC Registration System. This state-of-the-art system will significantly expand our data processing capability and result in much improved customer service. Some of the key features of the new system are:   Integration of registration records with competition records Previously, […]

Ensuring that the AKC has a solid financial foundation in order to achieve our mission and fund important new programs--both now and in the future--is integral to the continuation of our organization and sport. This is a fundamental responsibility of the Board of Directors.  The Board has adopted a policy that it will evaluate all […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC) is urging the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to make important enhancements to the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) that will improve the enforcement of the AWA and the overall welfare of purebred dogs. In a letter to USDA Secretary Ann Veneman the AKC urged the USDA to: Close a loophole […]

  On Thursday, February 27, 2003, The Appellate Division, New York Supreme Court published its decision in the case of Jon Hammer vs. The American Kennel Club, finding in favor of the AKC. Mr. Hammer filed suit against AKC and the American Brittany Club alleging that the official Brittany standard calling for dogs to be […]

Help is needed immediately to defeat legislation that has been introduced in Maryland to severely restrict debarking of dogs. The bill (H355) is currently awaiting a vote by the House Committee on Environmental Matters. Debarking of dogs is a commonly misunderstood practice. When performed by a veterinarian, debarking is an acceptable medical procedure that is […]