The American Kennel Club (AKC) recognizes and shares concerns about substandard kennels.  AKC’s mission includes working to protect the rights of all dog owners and promoting responsible dog ownership. We support reasonable and enforceable laws that protect the welfare and health of dogs without restricting the rights of owners or breeders who take their responsibilities […]

Ohio Representative Cheryl Grossman has introduced House Bill 570, which is intended to be an alternative for Senate Bill 95.  Both bills seek to regulate dog breeding in Ohio. The American Kennel Club opposes numerous provisions in House Bill 570, including (but not limited to): Definition of commercial breeder – A commercial breeder is anyone […]

The House Finance Committee will consider Senate Bill 460 on Thursday, July 1, at 8:30 AM.  So far, your emails and phone calls have made a huge difference. Please keep up the great work! We need to continue to remind members of the H. Finance Committee that responsible dog owners oppose S460. Please consider attending […]

The Ohio Senate State and Local Government and Veterans Affairs Committee has rescheduled the vote on Senate Bill 95 for Tuesday, June 1, 2010, at 1:00 p.m.  No testimony will be permitted at this hearing.  This bill continues to be amended and the AKC expects further amendments to be added prior to Tuesday’s vote. The […]

The AKC Government Relations Department has learned that the mandatory spay/neuter ordinance proposal currently under consideration by the New Orleans City Council will not be considered at its meeting this Thursday, April 22.  Because the New Orleans City Code requires at least 20 days of consideration for all proposals that seek to impose new permits […]

HJR 86 seeks to keep Missouri’s animal welfare regulations under the state legislature’s oversight instead of being manipulated by outside interests. The resolution, which has already passed the Missouri House of Representatives and the Senate Agriculture and Governmental Accountability and Fiscal Oversight Committees, is meeting filibuster-type resistance on the Senate floor.  Therefore, it is imperative […]

The Maryland Dog Federation has presented Baltimore Delegate Cheryl Glenn with an amendment to House Bill 1314.  Should the amendment be accepted, the bill, which seeks to strengthen the state’s dangerous dog law, would also provide that: "Nothing...shall...prevent a municipality from adopting or enforcing its own more stringent program for the control of dangerous dogs […]

UPDATE:  New Orleans City Council MSN Vote Scheduled for November 5 The AKC has confirmed that the New Orleans City Council has delayed the vote on the mandatory spay/neuter proposal until Thursday, November 5.  It is imperative that dog owners in the New Orleans area use the next few weeks to continue contacting the city […]

Senator Florez has amended Senate Bill 250, but the changes do little to address AKC’s fundamental concerns with the bill. It is imperative that California responsible dog owners and breeders immediately contact their Assemblymembers and Senators and ask them to oppose SB 250!!! As expected, the bill now provides that an intact dog with a […]

Yesterday, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell signed House Bill 39 into law.  Effective immediately, this new law now: Limits the legal practices of ear cropping, debarking, and surgical births to those procedures performed by a veterinarian.   Permits owners to perform tail docking and dewclaw removal procedures only on dogs less than five days of age; […]