The Iowa Legislature has passed a bill that will amend several of the state’s cruelty laws. A number of confusing and problematic provisions were removed from the bill, but some questions still remain.  House File 737 will soon be sent to the governor; those who reside or participate in dog events in Iowa are encouraged […]

In 2011, the Texas Legislature passed and then-Governor Perry signed into law the Dog and Cat Breeders Act.  The law’s aim is to regulate those who (1) possesses 11 or more adult intact female animals and (2) who are engaged in the business of breeding those animals for direct or indirect sale or for exchange […]

From Our Nation's Capitol AKC Government Relations team continues to monitor Congress for issues of interest to dog owners. Visit our 2020 Legislation Tracking page and click on “US Fed” on the map to get the latest updates on federal bills currently being monitored by the AKC. Highlights of issues we are currently addressing on the federal […]

State Issues: News from the State Capitols  Here are some highlights of state-level issues AKC GR is currently tracking. Visit the 2019 Legislation Tracking page and click on your state to get the latest updates on state bills monitored by the AKC. Alabama – HB 209 seeks to authorize food service establishments to allow pet dogs in […]

Local/Other: Issues at the City, County, and Metropolitan Levels, and in U.S. Territories 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 […]

The AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF) provides educational resources and tools for dog breeders as part of its mission to advance the health of all dogs. To help responsible breeders utilize the latest canine health information in their breeding and rearing plans and share that information with their puppy buyers, CHF provides infectious disease facts […]

In 2017, California passed a law that limited consumer choice in the state by banning the sales of dogs and cats at pet stores, unless they are sourced from a shelter or rescue. Since this went into effect, there have been concerns expressed by supporters of the law that loopholes remain.  As a result, the […]

No Good news for dogs as AKC announces its most popular breeds:  The picture painted of the American Kennel Club in a blog published by HSUS yesterday was filled with so many inaccuracies, we’ve decided to try to fix the inaccuracies section by section, rather than write a full rebuttal. –AKC. HSUS:    Last year, […]

State Issues: News from the State Capitols Here are some highlights of state-level issues AKC GR is currently tracking. Visit the 2020 Legislation Tracking page and click on your state to get the latest updates on state bills monitored by the AKC. Alabama – HB 209 seeks to authorize food service establishments to allow pet dogs in […]

Local/Other: Issues at the City, County, and Metropolitan Levels, and in U.S. Territories 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 […]