$250, a bill to prohibit ear cropping in Vermont, passed the full Senate and now moves to the House for consideration. Dog owners are strongly urged to contact their Representatives immediately and ask them to oppose the bill! What the Bill Does: Under S250, owners who crop ears in Vermont will face a civil penalty […]

Immediate help is needed to stop two poorly written bills that would hurt responsible dog owners in Illinois ! HB4213 Background: Introduced by Rep. Michael Tryon on December 1st, 2005, HB4213 automatically deems American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, "pit bulls," Pit Bull Terriers, Rottweilers and Staffordshire Terriers vicious and requires owners of these […]

Under a new bill proposed in Virginia, all dogs and cats acquired from dealers, hobby breeders, pet shops and adoption agencies would be have to be sterilized and microchipped. Sponsored by Sen. W. Roscoe Reynolds, S55 defines a "dealer" as any person who sells or transfers companion animals (with the exception of rescue groups). The […]

Sen. Ann Cummings has introduced S250, a bill to prohibit ear cropping in Vermont. Violators would face a civil penalty of up to $3,000 for a first offense. Those who commit subsequent violations or who perform the procedure without anesthesia would face criminal charges. The bill does not prohibit owning, showing, buying or selling a […]

AKC and dog owners in Illinois are organizing against state and city measures that ban or severely restrict specific breeds of dogs. Phone calls, e-mails, and letters to legislators are urgently needed to stop these unfair proposals: State of Illinois HB4212: Introduced by Rep. Michael Tryon on December 1st, HB4212 would permit cities to regulate […]

Yesterday, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a breed-specific ordinance that will require "pit bull" owners in the city and county to spay or neuter their dogs unless they obtain a $100 breeding permit. The legislation defines "pit bulls" as American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers and any dog […]

Nancy Fisk, Vice President of the Massachusetts Federation of Dog Clubs and Responsible Dog Owners (MassFed), recently shared the following report about the defeat of HB1346. Congratulations to all who helped make this victory possible! On June 20th Massachusetts dog owners and breeders rallied in opposition to House Bill 1346 and sent a strong message […]

The City of El Paso's Health and Public Safety Legislative Committee will hear a new animal control ordinance at its October 12th meeting. The proposal - a complete rewrite of the city's animal code - contains a $75 litter permit and restricts breeders to only one litter per year. Additionally, owners will be required to […]

Under the guise of updating Albuquerque's animal control ordinance to help reduce euthanasia rates at local animal shelters, City Councilor Sally Mayer has instead proposed sweeping changes that would drastically limit fanciers' ability to breed and own dogs, while doing little to address the city's problems with irresponsible ownership. The proposal is currently set for […]

-- Click here for more information about PAWS -- The following is an interview with AKC's federal government relations consultant Jim Holt in response to dog owners' questions about PAWS. The article originally appeared in Dog News June 10th, 2005. Who is regulated under current law and how would PAWS change that? In simple terms, […]