The Iowa House Judiciary Committee has unanimously passed a bill updating Iowa’s dog ownership laws and requiring shelters to scan dogs for a microchip. The bill, now renumbered as House File 2190, will soon be considered by the full House of Representatives. (Read AKC’s previous alert for more details on the bill). AKC encourages Iowa […]

Vermont House Bill 578 is a multi-faceted animal cruelty bill that, as introduced, may impact artificial insemination practices and create a significant risk of depriving residents of their property.  The American Kennel Club (AKC) opposes H.578 as introduced, and urges all Vermont residents to contact legislative committee members to not advance H.578 unless substantively amended.  […]

Two South Dakota bills that seek to strengthen protections related to the use of service dogs are scheduled for committee hearings tomorrow, Tuesday, January 27, 2026.  South Dakota residents are encouraged to contact legislators via email to express support for Senate Bill 81 and Senate Bill 82 before tomorrow’s 8:30AM meeting. What These Bills Do […]

The Philadelphia City Council Committee on Rules has scheduled a public hearing for Tuesday, February 3, on Bill 250989, a proposal that would impose a three-year moratorium on the breeding and sale of puppies in Philadelphia. See previous alert. You are strongly encouraged to act now and mobilize others to protect responsible breeding and dog […]

This week, an Iowa subcommittee advanced House Bill 2016, which expands and clarifies laws pertaining to dog ownership. The bill is expected to be considered by the House Judiciary Committee on Monday, January 26 at 4pm. AKC encourages Iowa dog owners to contact the committee in support of House File 2016, a bill drafted with […]

Animal rights activists continue gathering signatures in Oregon to put an extreme measure on the November 2026 ballot that would criminalize the killing and breeding of animals. This initiative has been attempted in previous election cycles, although it has never qualified for the ballot. The campaign in favor of the initiative reports having collected 87,776 […]

An Iowa House subcommittee is considering a bill on Wednesday, January 21, that expands and clarifies laws pertaining to dog ownership. AKC encourages Iowa dog owners to contact the committee in support of House File 2016, a bill drafted with input from the AKC and some Iowa kennel clubs, which provides reasonable and important updates […]

The Washington State Senate Committee on Law and Justice is expected to hear a bill on Monday, January 19, that will protect dogs who may temporarily need to be kept in an unattended vehicle. AKC supports this bill that will allow owners flexibility should they need to leave a dog in a vehicle for a […]

Yesterday, both chambers of the New Jersey General Assembly failed to act on bills   banning retail pet stores that could have impacted home-based breeders. AKC thanks our partner, the New Jersey Federation of Dog Clubs, and the many individuals who took the time to contact members of the General Assembly in defeating these bills. Your […]

The New Jersey Assembly Appropriations Committee has added amendments to a bill banning retail pet stores that could impact home-based breeders. The amendments are now identical to those added to Senate Bill 2511 in late December (Read AKC’s previous alert for more information) With the last voting day of the session scheduled for Monday, January […]