Joint committees of the Massachusetts legislature will soon consider legislation about veterans’ service dogs, prohibiting animal cruelty violators from owning animals, establishing an animal cruelty registry, allowing non-economic damages, animal neglect cases, and animal tethering practices. Massachusetts residents are encouraged to review the information below, and contact legislators. TUESDAY, JULY 22: The Massachusetts Joint Committee […]

The end of June brought with it the closure of New Hampshire’s busy 2025 legislative session. The American Kennel Club (AKC) worked with the New Hampshire Dog Owners of the Granite State (NH DOGS) to closely track numerous bills impacting dogs and advocate on behalf of their owners. AKC extends deep appreciation to all who […]

The end of June brought Oregon’s 2025 legislative session to a close, joining Washington state in adjourning for the year.  While both states had fairly limited legislative activity concerning dogs and dog owners, both did see bills introduced that sought to regulate dog breeders. For your reference, below are a few of the significant bills […]

Last year the Los Angeles Times published a multi-year investigation into fraudulent business practices in the importation of dogs into the state for resale. In response, three bills were introduced in the state Legislature that seek to address the issues addressed in the article. The following is the latest status on the package of bills […]

The end of June brought with it the closure of Oregon’s 2025 legislative session. A bill that the American Kennel Club (AKC) has tracked closely, SB 1076, did not advance to the finish line. In fact, it did not make it out of the chamber in which it was introduced. SB 1076 would have directed […]

As the first half of Delaware’s 153rd General Assembly ended, the House approved a bill that eliminates the sunset provision for compensatory damages for injured pets in certain circumstances.  A bill to restrict pet sales and consumer choice did not come before the House for a vote. With the passage of Senate Bill 118, pet […]

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed Senate Bill 2801, which exempts individual participants in squirrel or furbearing animal field trials from the Texas hunting license requirement.  Under this new law, which takes effect immediately, only the field trial organizer is required to purchase a field trial permit that covers all participants, removing the need for […]

Yesterday, the Massachusetts House and Senate adopted for the first time since 2019 major structural adjustments to how the House and Senate will work together. The new rules reshape legislative timelines, the flow of bills through committees and what information is publicly available. Below is a summary of the rules package changes detailed in S. […]

Amended LD 1771, which requires “hobby kennels” to obtain a state license under the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry’s (DACF) authority to regulate commercial “animal care facilities”, has become law without Governor Mills’ signature. Public Law Chapter 414 becomes effective Wednesday, September 24, 2025. The American Kennel Club (AKC) strongly endorses the right to […]

Summary: On Tuesday, June 24, the Fresno County Board of Supervisors advanced a proposal that will significantly overhaul the county’s animal ordinance code. The ordinance includes new breeding permitting requirements for breeding as few as one dog.  It is unclear if this applies solely to breeding females, or if it applies to stud dogs as […]