The American Kennel Club recognizes the benefits of spaying and neutering dogs that are not part of a responsible breeding program or are not being shown. However, the decision of when and whether to spay or neuter a dog is not one to be taken lightly. Though commonplace, these elective procedures are major surgeries and […]

The elections may be over, but our work as responsible dog owners, exhibitors, and breeders is just beginning. Many states elected a large number of new lawmakers on the federal, state, and local levels – most of whom likely know very little about canine legislation. Most state legislatures will reconvene in early 2019, and many […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC) will honor Forrest and Charlotte Lucas with the inaugural AKC Award for Outstanding Leadership in Canine Policy. The award will be presented at the 2016 AKC National Championship Dog Show presented by Royal Canin in Orlando, Florida, December 17-18, 2016. The new AKC award is designed to honor those who […]

For the past several years, legislation has been introduced in Iowa that would further expand some of the most restrictive dog breeding rules in the country. A dedicated group of Iowa breeders and club members have joined together and been working tirelessly to share the other side of the story – all the ways responsible […]

More than one hundred legislators from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut publicly shared their commitment to responsible dog ownership this month by serving as honorary chairs for the Meet the Breeds™ event hosted by the American Kennel Club and Westminster Kennel Club. Many of the Honorary Chairs, their staff, and families attended this year’s […]

In December 2016, the Caribe Kennel Club presented an AKC Legislator of the Year Award to the Honorable Senator Jose Luis Dalmau Santiago in a brief ceremony at the Capitol Building in San Juan.  The award, according to club Show Chair Teresa Y. Santana, DMD, was to demonstrate the club’s appreciation for the Senator’s “balanced […]

2016 was another busy year for AKC Government Relations, its state federations, and responsible dog owners and breeders advocating for dogs.  Over 2,200 bills impacting animals were monitored by AKC GR. Several new laws impacting dog owners and breeders were enacted over the past year.  It is imperative for responsible owners to ensure they are […]

Numerous state and local measures have included nearly identical legislative findings that are inaccurate, offensive to breeders, and directly reference “HSUS puppy mill estimates.” Such findings are designed to limit debate from the start, undermine alternative sources of information and put opponents on the defensive. While legislative findings are not actual laws, inaccurate, pejorative or […]

The American Kennel Club is pleased to announce that Dr. Arnold L. Goldman, DVM, MPH and the Connecticut Federation of Dog Clubs and Responsible Dog Owners have been named winners of the 2015 Bebout Memorial Award for Leadership in Canine Legislation. Together with the Connecticut Federation, of which he is a trustee, Dr. Goldman and […]

By Sheila Goffe, Director of Government Relations The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a not-for profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to the advancement of purebred dogs as family companion and the health and wellbeing of all dogs. For more than 130 years, AKC has been recognized worldwide as the expert on purebred breeding and all aspects […]