-- Click here for more information about PAWS --   -- Board Reaffirms Support of Proposed Legislation --   Chicago, IL - At a meeting of the American Kennel Club (AKC®) Board of Directors today, the Board reaffirmed their position to support the principles in the Pet Animal Welfare Statute (PAWS) of 2005, a bill […]

The State of Connecticut has appointed a task force to investigate the sale of dogs and cats in Connecticut and they are holding a public hearing in Fairfield on Wednesday, October 16th.  Upon completion of these public hearings, it is expected that the task force will draft legislation for consideration in 2014. It is vitally […]

Today, the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA/APHIS) released a finalized version of new federal regulations that narrow the definition of a “retail pet store” with the purpose of bringing internet-based pet breeders and sellers under the regulation of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA).  The rule, originally proposed in […]

A public hearing will be held February 1, 2013 on House Bill 233, which would require licensing of "commercial dog breeders" subject to unnamed fees, would require unannounced inspections, and would establish requirements and standards of care. A commercial dog breeder would be defined as a person who owns, maintains, or otherwise has custody or […]

House Bill 108 H.D. 1 S.D 2, a very problematic dog breeder bill, is scheduled for a third vote in the Hawaii Senate on April 12. It is important that dog owners immediately contact their state Senators and politely ask them to vote “No” on this burdensome and ineffective legislation. HB108 would establish requirements that […]

Senate Bill 2494 is scheduled to be heard by the Hawaii Senate Committee on Judiciary and Labor on Wednesday, February 29, 2012. This bill would require owners of ten or more intact dogs to pay a $500 biennial license fee, allow unannounced inspections of their private homes, limit their ability to make decisions about breeding […]

New Hampshire Senate Bill 370, which seeks to impose ownership limits and other restrictions on responsible dog breeders and owners, has been introduced and will be considered by the Senate Executive Departments and Administration Committee on Thursday, January 19, 2012.  The American Kennel Club and our New Hampshire federation, the Dog Owners of the Granite […]

California Senate Bill 250, which seeks to mandate the sterilization of a dog on a second animal control offense, has moved from the inactive file back to the Assembly floor and could be voted on any day. Amendments have been adopted, but they only modify the appeals process and do not alter our fundamental opposition […]

U.S. Senator Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) introduced US Senate bill S. 3424 late Tuesday evening. The bill is designed to close the “internet loophole” in the Animal Welfare Act which allows breeders who sell numerous puppies over the internet or directly to the public to avoid the USDA regulation required of other breeder-retailers. The measure, called […]

Oklahoma Senate Bill 1340 and Senate Bill 1712, which seek to provide state oversight over certain dog breeders, will be considered by the House Economic Development and Financial Services Committee on Wednesday, March 24.  We strongly urge all concerned responsible dog breeders and owners in Oklahoma to consider the provisions of the bills (described below), […]