A Publication of the AKC Government Relations Department — June 2015
 
 

AKC clubs do great work in their communities. Consider the countless community services that AKC club members perform across the U.S.— seminars on dog care, training classes, canine health clinics, Responsible Dog Ownership Days, support for canine health research, rescue and fostering, educational matches, competitive events, youth and Junior Handler programs—the list is endless. Club members and experienced dog owners work together to share their expertise, promote responsible dog ownership, and involve others in activities that enhance the human/canine bond.

AKC Field Representative Sandra D’Andrea, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, MAPBD Board Member Caitlin Boyle, and Detroit Kennel Club Show Chair Chris Berg. © Kim Booth, used with permission.
 

United States Senator Debbie Stabenow (Michigan) was honored with an AKC Legislator of the Year Award during her visit to the Detroit Kennel Club (DKC) show on June 20.

Senator Stabenow, who visited the show with members of her family, toured the event with DKC Show Chair Chris Berg, chatted with constituent dog enthusiasts and met their beautiful dogs. She tweeted and posted photos while watching group competition.

As Chair of the United States Senate Agriculture Committee, Senator Stabenow has been a strong voice for the interests of Michigan fanciers and hobby breeders.

Photo courtesy Chuck Cubbison

 

“The planning and cooperation of this sledding community is a testament to the love and care its members have for all their dogs and demonstrates the amazing feats that can be achieved by working together.”

 

Dog owners raced the flames to save more than 600 sled dogs as a wildfire swept through Alaska’s Mat-Su Valley last week. In the fire’s path were the homes and kennels of dozens of competitive racing and recreational sled dog owners.

As others fled the area, sled dog owners and their fellow mushers from surrounding areas drove toward the advancing fire to help transport their animals to safety. The Sockeye Fire, named for the road where it originated, devastated more than 7,000 acres north of Willow, Alaska.

The densely-forested area is vulnerable to fires sparked by lightning strikes and human carelessness, and recent hot, dry conditions increased the risk.

Just weeks earlier, members of a local sled dog organization met to discuss emergency plans. Because of this advanced planning and fast action by the mushing community, hundreds of dogs and other pets in sledding kennels were saved from the Sockeye Fire. Musher Chuck Cubbison of Wasilla assisted with the evacuations.

 

AKC Government Relations is pleased to announce that updated 2014 statistics on AKC dog events in each state have been added to the resources available on the GR webpages. Click here, and then click on your state for information on the number of AKC events and entries and the economic value of spending by participants in AKC conformation dog shows.

Be sure to visit the AKC Government Relations Toolbox often for the latest materials you can download and print for legislative battles, community and dog-related events, and club meetings to help educate others about the importance of promoting and protecting responsible dog ownership and breeding.

The AKC Government Relations team is pleased to announce that a California grassroots advocacy organization has been awarded an AKC Canine Legislative Support Fund (CLSF) Grant.  

The AKC Government Relations Department is pleased to partner with state federations, dog clubs and concerned owners to protect the rights of dog owners. The tireless response of responsible breeders, owners and fanciers across the country truly makes a difference!  Visit the 2015 Legislative Successes page to view examples of recent results of their good work. 

 
Legislative Information and Updates

Each year, thousands of dog-related laws and regulations are proposed at the federal, state, and local levels. So far this year, AKC GR has been monitoring more than 1,500 measures at the state, local and federal levels that could impact dog owners. Congress, 17 state legislatures and the District of Columbia are currently in regular session. Washington is in special session.

Visit the 2015 Legislation Tracking page for the most up-to-date information on state and federal legislation. This site, updated each weekday, provides the latest bill text, status, and links to legislative alerts posted by the AKC.  Click on the links below to view highlights of issues that are being tracked by AKC Government Relations:

Federal— issues that may affect all dog owners in the US
State — issues specific to your state.
Local— issues at the city and county levels

Please contact AKC GR at (919) 816-3720 or doglaw@akc.org for more information or to let us know what’s happening in your local community.

Visit us at AKC.org

 

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