The New York City Council is expected to vote tomorrow on a series of measures that would create many new requirements for anyone who meets the definition of "pet shop" (defined in this proposal as those who sell more than 25 dogs/year). While many positive amendments were made that improve the bill and protect dogs […]

The Maryland House Judiciary Committee has scheduled a public hearing for Thursday, March 27 to discuss a bill (SB 660) that would ban debarking. A second measure (SB 659) would require ear cropping, tail docking and dewclaw removal to be performed by a licensed veterinarian. These bills have already passed the Senate, and the House […]

There are 27 days remaining in the 89th Texas Legislative Regular Session, and there are several dog bills under consideration. Below are status updates for bills that received consideration last week or will receive consideration this week: House Bill 2806 and SB 155 - Dangerous Dogs- Previous Alert Status: HB 2806 had a hearing on […]

On Monday, April 28, the Texas House Public Health Committee considered House Bill 2806, which would dramatically broaden the definition of a "dangerous dog" and make it a misdemeanor offense if a dog causes "bodily injury." Under the Texas Penal Code, "bodily injury" is defined as physical pain, illness, or any impairment of physical condition. […]

Tomorrow (February 12), an Iowa House subcommittee will consider a positive bill increasing the threshold of what constitutes a commercial breeder in Iowa. The bill also seeks to fix a longstanding problem wherein hobbyists have been improperly categorized as commercial kennels, resulting in significant barriers that have prevented some hobbyists from obtaining dogs in another […]

Please share this important information with your club members, family and friends The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to debate amendments and vote on final passage of the Farm Bill, H.R. 7567, the “Farm, Food, and National Security Act,” the week of April 27. In our previous Farm Bill alert to AKC constituents, we reported that […]

Amendments have been filed to California Assembly Bill 702 – a bill requiring all dog owners to obtain a permit before they can breed a litter of puppies. While AKC appreciates a couple of the amendments, we remain opposed to breeder permits. Assembly Bill 702 is scheduled for a hearing on Tuesday, April 27, and […]

On Monday, March 21, 2022, the Maryland Senate passed Senate Bill 44  which regulates dogs outdoors and unattended in certain weather conditions and temperatures. The bill is schedule for a hearing before the House Environment and Transportation Committee at 1:00pm on Wednesday, March 30,2022.  Written comments will only be accepted on Monday, March 28.  Scroll […]

The Guilford County (NC) Commission is holding a public hearing on Thursday, September 21, on a proposal that would require cat and dog owners to spay/neuter their dogs by the age of 6 months or pay a $200 fee for an intact animal permit. The proposal offer a few exceptions, however AKC believes that the […]

  AKC Compliance Department Lowers Litter Threshold; Rewards Good Breeders In keeping with its mission of upholding the integrity of the registry and protecting the welfare of purebred dogs, the American Kennel Club® has announced a new protocol for its inspections program. Inspections of breeders who register with AKC focus on monitoring and enforcing accurate […]