June 5, 2019 Tomorrow (Thursday, June 6), the New York Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee will be considering amendments to Assembly Bill 722, which as introduced would have limited hunting and hunt trials in the state. You made a difference!  Thanks to the efforts of all who called and emailed the committee, the amendment being considered […]

June 4, 2019 Two bills pertaining to pet shops will be considered by Rhode Island General Assembly committees this week. House Bill 5072, scheduled for hearing on Wednesday, seeks to unreasonably restrict pet shops to selling only dogs sourced from shelters and rescues. Senate Bill 699, scheduled for hearing Thursday, establishes reasonable operational standards for […]

Thursday, May 30, 2019 Multiple bills seeking to impose regulatory oversight over personal and commercial kennels, mandate annual inspections of all kennels, and create consumer protections laws is scheduled for consideration by the Joint Municipalities and Regional Government Committee on Tuesday, June 4th.  These bills would onerously impact all responsible dog breeders in Massachusetts, including […]

May 28, 2019 The New York Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee will consider a bill on Wednesday, May 29, that would prohibit any contest, competition, or tournament where the objective is taking or hunting wildlife for prizes or entertainment. The AKC views this as a threat to the ability of New Yorkers who own purposebred dogs […]

What's New from Government Relations While some state legislatures are winding down for the year, twenty-seven are still in session, as well as Congress.  AKC Government Relations has been very busy on federal issues, including closely monitoring and responding to the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS)’s request for public comments on […]

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 – SB 10 would provide for the rights and responsibilities of an individual with a disability who […]

Friday, May 10, 2019 On Tuesday, May 14, 2019, the Joint Judiciary Committee will consider six dog-related bills at its upcoming hearing from 1pm – 5pm.  The American Kennel Club (AKC) supports with amendment one of the proposals, is concerned with two others, and opposes three more.  The AKC encourages all concerned Massachusetts residents to […]

Tuesday, April 30, 2019 The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently unveiled a new online licensing and registration tool that helps businesses and individuals identify their regulation needs under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). Regulations established under the AWA set standards for the humane care and treatment for […]

April 22, 2019 On Tuesday, April 23, the Manatee County Board of Commissioners could discuss a proposal that would ban the retail sale of puppies.  An earlier version of the meeting agenda referenced a Sarasota ordinance that bans retail sales of pets from a commercial establishment.  It is not known at this time what might […]

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 – SB 10 seeks to provide for the rights and responsibilities of an individual with a […]