In recent months, the AKC has become aware of increased enforcement of existing kennel and dog-related laws in a number of communities. This is an excellent reminder to all dog owners about the importance of keeping up-to-date with and obeying all pertinent laws in your jurisdiction.

Unfortunately, it’s not unusual for a community’s laws to change without affected residents knowing about those changes. Individuals and groups who oppose dog ownership or breeding regularly use the violation of any kind of dog law as a reason to push for additional, ever more restrictive laws. If you are not sure what your community or state requires, please contact your local animal control and ask for a copy of the laws so you can ensure you are in compliance.

The AKC expects its breeders/registrants to know, understand, and obey the laws of their jurisdictions. Breeders should review and abide by any local, state, and federal laws that apply to their kennel or breeding operations and ensure that they are in full compliance with their requirements. The AKC strongly encourages all breeders to ensure that conditions in their kennels are in accordance with AKC rules and policies and all applicable laws.

The American Kennel Club’s Board of Directors position on the Proper Care and Humane Treatment of Dogs is clear:

Dog owners bear a special responsibility to their canine companions to provide proper care and humane treatment at all times. Proper care and humane treatment include an adequate and nutritious diet, clean water, clean living conditions, regular veterinary care, kind and responsible human companionship, and training in proper behavior. The American Kennel Club believes that dogs should not be kept in circumstances or numbers where these needs cannot be adequately fulfilled.

The AKC Government Relations department is here to help you when you learn about a proposed new law that may be overly burdensome or restrictive for responsible dog owners and breeders. It is much harder to roll back a law that is already in place than to address one that has not yet been approved. Please contact AKC’s Government Relations Department at (919) 816-3720, or e-mail doglaw@akc.org for information and to advise GR staff about newly-introduced legislation and regulations in your local community. Click here for tools to help oppose the enactment of anti-dog measures and to seek changes to existing laws.