A new law was enacted yesterday by the New York Governor that permits dogs in outdoor areas of eating establishments in the state, as long as certain conditions are met.  The AKC supported this measure, which allows responsible dog owners more opportunity to enjoy outdoor activities and socialization with their well-behaved pets.  Under the new […]

The Wisconsin Senate has approved a measure that would allow citizens to use reasonable force to enter a vehicle if it is believed that a person or domestic animal inside the vehicle is in imminent danger.  The bill now goes to the governor and could be acted upon at any time.  You may contact Governor […]

The Wisconsin Assembly has approved a measure that would allow citizens to use reasonable force to enter a vehicle if it is believed that a person or domestic animal inside the vehicle is in imminent danger.  Under Assembly Bill 308 as passed by the Assembly, a person would be immune from civil liability for property […]

Friday, October 23, 2015 On Wednesday, October 28, the Joint Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee of the Massachusetts legislature will consider bills impacting the keeping of dogs.  House Bill 649 seeks to address the problems associated with the importation of animals intended for adoption, while Senate Bill 444 seeks to ensure that trainers of […]

Monday, October 26, 2015 Last week, AKC Government Relations (AKC GR) published information regarding the upcoming meeting of the Joint Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture Committee of the Massachusetts legislature.  Since then, additional bills have been added to the committee’s agenda.  Two of the newly-added bills, SB 443 and HB 634, may prove problematic.  AKC […]

Monday, October 19, 2015 The Joint Judiciary Committee of the Massachusetts General Court is scheduled to consider 20 legislative proposals concerning animals at its next meeting on Wednesday, October 21, 2015.  Included in the agenda are bills that deeply concern both the American Kennel Club and the Massachusetts Federation of Dog Clubs and Responsible Dog […]

VA UPDATE:  Tethering Hearing Postponed The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has just announced that the hearing scheduled for Tuesday, October 20, on the proposal to prohibit all tethering over 1 hour has been postponed. As introduced, this proposal would have prohibited tethering a dog for more than 1 hour cumulatively, regardless of whether the […]

The Iredell County Board of Commissioners is having a public hearing on October 6 regarding numerous proposed changes to the county’s animal control laws.  Several of the concerns originally mentioned by the AKC and local clubs have been addressed; however, there remains an unclear definition of “household pet”. The proposal defines a “household pet” in […]

This week the North Carolina General Assembly approved the state budget for next year.  Previous versions of the budget had included items of significant concern to the AKC, such as a transfer of the animal welfare budget and oversight away from the Department of Agriculture.  Another version included a tax on veterinary services.  Neither of […]

The Hempstead Town Board is continuing to debate a proposal that would regulate breeders, pet sellers, and mandate the sterilization of dogs prior to sale- even if they are only 8 weeks old.     Residents of the Town of Hempstead are encouraged to contact the Hempstead Town Board as soon as possible and respectfully ask […]