The AKC Government Relations staff and AKC’s federal advocacy team in Washington, D.C. continue to monitor Congress for issues of interest to dog owners. Visit our 2011 Legislative Tracking page and click on “US Fed” on the map to get the latest updates on federal bills currently being monitored by the AKC. The most significant piece of legislation being tracked at this time is:

H.R. 835 / S. 707 – This bill, known as the “Puppy Uniform Protection & Safety Act” (PUPS), would require anyone who owns or co-owns dogs that produce 50 or more puppies that are sold in a 12-month period to be regulated under USDA dog dealer regulations. Requirements would include obtaining an annual USDA license, maintaining minimum federal standards of care, and regular inspections at least biennially. When this bill was first introduced in 2010, the AKC expressed a number of concerns with provisions in the measure. The AKC’s concerns remain the same. H.R. 835 has been assigned to the House Committee on Agriculture, and S. 707 is assigned to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. No hearings are scheduled for either bill. For more information, read the AKC’s Legislative Update on this bill and AKC's letter to Congress.