Changes to the county animal ordinance, including discussion of a proposal to declare numerous dog breeds as dangerous, were presented at the Barrow County Board of Commissioners meeting on September 22, 2020.  The county manager recommended that 12-15 breeds be designated as dangerous. TAKE ACTION TODAY.  Barrow County residents are urged to immediately contact their […]

Earlier this week, Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) introduced a bill that would make changes to the federal Animal Welfare Act to mandate arbitrary new requirements for certain professional and small hobby dog breeders. S. 4757 – the “Puppy Protection Act of 2020” – is a companion measure (with the same language) to HR 2442 introduced […]

English novelists of centuries past gave us timeless characters who hopscotched from the printed page into our cultural consciousness, from Daniel DeFoe’s “Robinson Crusoe” to Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein.” And in the dog world, there is one exceedingly rare terrier that owes its name – and arguably its continued existence – to a peripheral character in […]

The Texas Sunset Advisory Commission is still accepting comments on its June staff report recommendation that the state’s Licensed Breeder Program should be eliminated due to fundamental flaws with the law that created it, the program’s ineffectiveness, and significant operational costs. The Commission was originally scheduled to consider the recommendation at an August hearing, but […]

California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed several bills impacting dog owners, exhibitors, and sellers in the state: Assembly Bill 2257 – This bill addresses concerns raised by a law passed in 2019 that requires certain independent contractors to be treated as employees. The concern was raised that this could require clubs to provide benefits, workers […]

The AKC Government Relations Department is pleased to assist dog owners with canine legislation issues in their local communities, but we can't help unless we are aware of the proposal. Please contact us at (919) 816-3720 or doglaw@akc.org when new laws are discussed or introduced in your city or county. We will provide you with resources and […]

The AKC Government Relations Department (GR) is dedicated to protecting the rights of all dog owners, promoting responsible dog ownership and ensuring that laws governing dog ownership and breeding are reasonable, enforceable and non-discriminatory. The Government Relations department leads the AKC's legislative efforts and identifies its goals as "working to protect the rights of all […]

Congratulations to Elin and Jay Phinizy and members of the Dog Owners of the Granite State (D.O.G.S) federation, winners of the first quarter 2018 Walter Bebout Memorial Award for Leadership in Canine Legislation. Elin and Jay Phinizy have been actively involved in Dog Owners of the Granite State since its inception in 1991. As a […]

Election Day 2020 is Tuesday, November 3. This year, the U.S. President, all 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives, 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate, 13 governorships, and countless other state and local elections will be contested. To preserve the future of purebred dogs, it’s important to identify dog-friendly candidates and use your […]

The dog days of summer have been busier than ever for the American Kennel Club Government Relations (AKC GR) team and advocates. This August marks the launch of several new initiatives and resources to better serve dogs, dog owners, and the community at large. AKC has noticed an increase of reports of animal rights activists […]