Monday, April 08, 2019 Texas House Bill 2347 seeks to require animal shelters and releasing agencies to scan an animal for a microchip as soon as practicable after the animal is placed in their custody.  In the interest of returning lost or at-large animals to their owners, the American Kennel Club supports HB 2347.  Texas […]

The Michigan House Local Government Committee will be considering a bill on Wednesday, December 5, that seeks to protect the rights of responsible dog owners in the state by prohibiting municipalities from enacting breed-specific policies. Municipalities would still be permitted to enact other policies and regulations on dog owners, so long as these laws do […]

The AKC has just learned that on Wednesday, January 21st, the House Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee will hold a public hearing on H1895, a bill to prohibit insurance companies from discriminating against homeowners based on the breed of dog they own. The American Kennel Club believes that insurance companies should determine coverage of a […]

The Missouri Agriculture Policy Committee is considering a bill on Thursday, February 2, that would make several changes to protect dogs and the rights of dog owners when animals are seized on suspicion of neglect or abuse.  The purpose of the bill is to ensure that the accused are treated as innocent until proven guilty, […]

On Thursday, January 16, 2020, multiple animal bills will be reviewed by the New Hampshire House Committee on Environment and Agriculture.  The American Kennel Club (AKC) strongly encourages those who reside in New Hampshire to contact the committee to express significant concerns with three bills. HB 1627 seeks to establish a statewide database of all […]

March 25, 2019 After postponing a hearing last week, the Illinois House Agriculture & Conservation Committee is considering a bill tomorrow (Tuesday, March 26) that would delete consumer protection language passed in 2017 and replace it with language that would only allow pet stores to sell dogs from shelters, rescues, or breeders who have fewer […]

In mid-March, Ohio Representative Barbara Sears of Lucas County introduced House Bill 79, which removes the term "pit bull" from Ohio's statutory definition of dangerous dogs. Ohio is currently the only state to have enacted statewide breed-specific legislation. The current law states that if a dog "belongs to a breed that is commonly known as […]

The 2018 AKC Obedience Classic and the AKC Agility Invitational took place December 15-16, 2018 in conjunction with the AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin, demonstrating the highest level of training and teamwork between dog and handler. Obedience and agility competitions for junior handlers were held for the eighth year, and an AKC Rally® […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC®), the world’s largest purebred dog registry and leading advocate for dogs, is proud to announce the recipients of the first 2018 AKC Paw of Courage awards to show appreciation for the working canines that put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe. This award specifically […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC®) is pleased to announce the annual election of officers. In accordance with the Charter and Bylaws of The American Kennel Club, the following Executive Officers were re-elected at the April 2026 Board of Directors Meeting: Gina M. DiNardo – President and CEO Theodore E. Phillips, CPA - Chief Financial Officer […]