Yesterday, several committees of the Massachusetts General Court took procedural action on dog-related bills.  Some bills were ordered to study, which means that they will likely not be considered for the remainder of the legislative session, while others had their deadlines for further consideration extended. BILLS SENT TO STUDY: The Joint Judiciary Committee ordered multiple […]

Organization records over 3 million entries across Performance, Conformation, Companion and Family Dog events. The American Kennel Club, the world’s largest dog registry, advocate for dogs, and the governing body in the United States, continues to be the leader in the sport of dogs with a record setting increase to 3.3 million entries in 2019 […]

The New Hampshire House Judiciary Committee has scheduled a public hearing on Tuesday, January 28, 2020, during which it will consider three bills of concern to dog owners.   The American Kennel Club (AKC) is tracking more than 25 New Hampshire bills filed this session that could impact breeders and responsible dog owners.  We strongly encourage […]

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 introduced […]

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. Colorado – HB 20-1084 would place further restrictions on breeders, and restrict pet choice and consumer protection […]

The Lake County (IL) Board is considering a resolution tomorrow (Tuesday, January 14) that would prohibit retail pet stores from selling any dogs or cats.  Instead, they would only be allowed to provide animals from shelters or rescues. Even if you do not personally provide dogs to pet stores, this resolution could have significant implications […]

On Thursday, January 16, 2020, multiple animal bills will be reviewed by the New Hampshire House Committee on Environment and Agriculture.  The American Kennel Club (AKC) strongly encourages those who reside in New Hampshire to contact the committee to express significant concerns with three bills. HB 1627 seeks to establish a statewide database of all […]

- Barbet and Dogo Argentino Gain Full Recognition - The American Kennel Club (AKC®), the world’s largest purebred dog registry and leading advocate for dogs, announced today that the Barbet and Dogo Argentino will receive full recognition and become eligible to compete in their respective groups on January 1, 2020. These additions bring the number […]

A young family I know recently made a commitment to quality time by banning cell phones at the dinner table. It started as more of a dare than a serious lifestyle change. The husband is a marketing maven, the wife a high-powered lawyer, and the two kids own every electronic device on the market. One […]

Earlier this year, AKC Government Relations (AKC GR) alerted Maine breeders to the presence of an anti-breeder definition proposed in LD 1311, a bill that seeks to ban animal sales by pet stores.  The proposed “animal rescue entity” definition sought to exclude all breeders from animal rescue activities.  Given that many responsible purebred dog breeders […]