February 11, 2019 The Washington Senate Committee on Labor and Commerce and the Washington House Committee on Consumer Protection and Business will hold hearings on identical bills on Tuesday, Feb. 12. Senate Bill 5209 and House Bill 1640 will prohibit retail pet stores from selling dogs or cats, unless those animals were obtained from an […]

March 29, 2019 The Texas House Public Health Committee is scheduled to hold a public hearing on Wednesday, April 3, on a bill that would allow dogs in outdoor eating establishments, with permission from the business owner. The AKC supports HB 1801, as it allows responsible dog owners more opportunity to enjoy outdoor activities and […]

The New York legislature has adjourned for 2023 without passing legislation that would negatively impact New York dog owners, breeders, and exhibitors. Bills do carry over to next year, but we are grateful to the legislators who ensured bills of concern did not advance in 2023.  AKC Government Relations met many times with New York […]

On Friday, December 1, the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation (Commission) adopted the first round of rules to implement the 2023 changes to the state’s Dog or Cat Breeders Act.  These changes were needed to quickly implement rules for additional breeders who are required to comply with the law by January 1, 2024. SUMMARY […]

On Tuesday, March 4, 2025, the Connecticut General Assembly’s Insurance and Real Estate Committee will accept public testimony on SB 1386, concerning dog breed insurance underwriting and service dogs.  The bill would prohibit homeowners' insurance and renters' insurance policies from discriminating based on harboring or owning any dog of a specific breed or mixture of […]

The Township Committee of Shamong, New Jersey, is expected to consider amended proposed changes to its animal ordinances at its upcoming Wednesday, November 7, 2018, meeting.  Due to the successful outreach of concerned local stakeholders, the Township Committee eliminated some troublesome provisions of earlier proposals, including a ban on future breeders and kennels and pet […]

Last week, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the temporary suspension of the importation of dogs from countries classified as high risk for canine rabies, or of those arriving from countries not considered a high risk if the dogs have been in a high risk country during the previous six […]

Click here for an update to this Alert The Los Angeles County Animal Board of Supervisors will meet April 18th to discuss their proposal to require all dogs to be spayed or neutered unless their owner purchases a $60 intact animal license (currently $30) and meets the stringent criteria established by the county. The measure […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC) presented New Hampshire Senator Howard Pearl on November 4, 2023, with the 2023 AKC Legislator of the Year award in recognition of his advocacy for fair and balanced legislation for responsible dog owners. The award was presented by Sheila Goffe, AKC Vice President of Government Relations (GR), noting Pearl “has […]

–Award Presented at AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin – Gail S. Wolaniuk and Joan E. McFadden were presented with the 2020 AKC Breeder of the Year award for Unique Standard Poodles at the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin on Sunday, December 13, 2020.  The annual award honors those breeders who have […]