-- Join Us in the AKC Conversation -- This isn't so much a Chairman's Report as it is a little straight talk among friends. And I intend it to be the first of many. We are fortunate that my predecessors, Ron Menaker and David Merriam, had the foresight to carefully plan for a financially sound […]

The American Kennel Club Government Relations Department has learned that Louisiana House Bill 163, a bill which further threatens the rights of responsible dog owners and breeders with ownership limits and vague care and conditions standards, will be considered on Thursday, April 12, 2012, by the Louisiana House Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural […]

  Eleven new AKC® National Agility Champions were crowned yesterday at the 2012 AKC National Agility Championship (NAC) sponsored by J &J Dog Supplies, held March 30 – April 1 in Reno, Nevada. The American Kennel Club® event brought together an entry of more than 900 dogs from across the country to compete for the […]

Pointer FC Old School Attitude prevailed at the recent American Kennel Club® Pointing Breed Gun Dog Championship, defeating the largest number of AKC Pointing Breed Field Champions ever assembled for a single event. “Bella,” handled by Greg Dixon of Wisconsin and owned by Justin Martin from Minnesota, was crowned at the historic Ames Plantation near […]

Patricia M. Cruz, William J. Feeney, & Thomas S. Powers Elected   At the Annual Meeting of the American Kennel Club on March 13, 2012, the AKC Board of Directors Class of 2016 was elected. The three Directors elected were: Patricia M. Cruz, Delegate for Heart of the Plains Kennel Club; William J. Feeney, Delegate for […]

Iowa Senate committees have approved two measures that would make detrimental changes to the laws regulating commercial breeders, defined in current law as anyone who owns at least four intact dogs or cats and receives any consideration for breeding. While the bills are virtually identical to the ones that were scheduled for consideration last week, […]

The Colorado House of Representatives has passed a measure that would make several changes to the procedures and costs associated with impounding an animal when its owner is charged with neglect, cruelty, or another animal criminal act. Although several amendments supported by the AKC and the Colorado Federation of Dog Clubs were proposed to address […]

Massachusetts House Bill 2809 seeks to unnecessarily and severely limit keeping dogs outdoors, and seeks to introduce guardianship language into Massachusetts statutory law when referring to animal ownership. Both the American Kennel Club (AKC) and the Massachusetts Federation of Dog Clubs and Responsible Dog Owners oppose HB 2809. Concerned Massachusetts dog breeders and owners should […]

The American Kennel Club Government Relations Department (AKC GR) has recently learned that the Dunn (NC) City Council will discuss whether to proceed with a proposal to ban "pit bulls" when it meets for its annual budget retreat this weekend (Friday, March 2-Saturday, March 3). While this retreat is not open to the public, it […]

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 […]