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Recent News

This page is dedicated to recent news articles and information relevant to all States in the U.S. The newest information is at the top of the page.

Please click here for recent AKC fines and suspensions of breeders registering capabilities

Federal
USDA TO ALTER TEMPERATURE REQUIREMENTS FOR LIVE ANIMALS DURING TRANSPORT

Believing that a single performance standard may be better than specific requirements for ambient temperature ranges during transport of live animals, on January 3, 2008, APHIS proposed to amend the Animal Welfare Act regulations for transportation of live animals, excluding marine mammals, by changing the ambient temperature requirements for various stages in the transportation of regulated animals. If accepted, this proposed rule would:

1. Remove potentially confusing temperature requirements during transport.
2. Replace the current requirements with a single performance standard under which the animals would be transported under climatic and environmental conditions that are appropriate for their welfare.
3. Require transport compartments on aircraft to be opened during pro longed layovers, and the use of ground equipment to maintain appropriate conditions in the cargo hold during the layover.
4. Eliminate the requirement for acclimation certificates for animals other than marine mammals, which had to be signed by a veterinarian in order to certify that the animals are acclimated to temperatures lower than the minimum. APHIS believed it was difficult and inappropriate for veterinarians to determine whether a dog or cat has been acclimated to a specific temperature based on a veterinary examination.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: March 25, 2008
Contact: Daisy Okas
Phone: 212-696-8343

AKC RULE CHANGE ALLOWS OWNERS TO RENAME THEIR DOGS

New York, NY- The American Kennel Club® (AKC) is pleased to announce a registration rule change that now allows owners of AKC registered dogs to change the official name of their pet. Dogs are eligible if they were born in the U.S., have never been bred, or have not won any awards at an AKC event.

"We have a lot of interest from AKC registered dog owners looking to rename their dogs," said David Roberts, AKC's Assistant Vice President of Registration. "In most cases, the dog is a beloved pet and the owner would like to pick a name that has special value to them. The new rule allows owners to change the name when transferring their AKC registered dog, or to request a name change at any time."

Previously, a policy was in place that only allowed the owner to change a dog's name if the dog had been individually registered by its breeder and the request was accompanied by written permission from the breeder. The new regulation reads: "The name of a dog registered with The American Kennel Club will be allowed to be changed provided the dog was whelped in the United States and in cases where the breeder(s) first individually registered the dog, their written consent would be required. A dog name containing a Registered Kennel Name cannot be changed without the written consent of the owner(s) of that Registered Kennel Name.

However, no change in the name will be recorded by The American Kennel Club after the dog has produced or sired an AKC registered litter or received an award at an AKC licensed or member event. Any name change must comply with all AKC requirements."

The service fee for a name change is $25. The Dog Name Change Authorization form is located online at http://www.akc.org/pdfs/ADCG01.pdf. The completed form can be faxed to the AKC at: 919-816-4261 or mailed to the address on the application.

NAPERVILLE, Ill., March 22 (UPI)
A thief made off with a $1,500 puppy from a Chicago-area pet shop, tucking the dog under his shirt after distracting an employee. Mike Isaac, the owner of the Petland store in Naperville, about 30 miles west of Chicago, told the Chicago Sun-Times the 2-month-old Pomeranian "needs to be cared for like a newborn baby." The dog was the smallest one in the store. Police said they hope to recover the dog, which has a microchip implanted under one ear. The theft set off an online "amber alert'' by a pet locating service and the shop's security camera captured clear images of the young man who stole the dog, the newspaper said. The man asked an employee Friday morning if he could see the dog. While he was examining the puppy, he asked for more information and then walked out when the clerk went to get it. A Web site, Helpmefindmypet.com, issued an alert to all veterinarians, pet stores and other businesses within 50 miles that deal with animals.

Australia
Litchfield Shire - Council president has identified fencing and enforcement as potential difficulties with new dog by-laws. The Council will bring in by-laws immediately.

Korea
Seoul - passed an ordinance making microchipping of all pets mandatory. Passed 02/20/08

Switzerland
Geneva - Genevans are being asked to vote Sunday on a law outlawing so-called “dangerous” dog breeds. The initiative also requires owners of all large dogs to get a permit - not just for their canines, but for themselves as well.

MB-F, Inc. President, Bobby Christiansen is going to run 100 miles for Take the Lead on June 28 and needs your help. Take the Lead was founded in 1993 as a not-for-profit foundation under Section 501 (c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code dedicated to provide direct services, support and care for all qualified participants in the sport of dogs who suffer from the devastating realities of life-threatening or terminal illnesses.

Details on this run and how you can help can be seen at http://www.takethelead.org/ws.htm

Thank you for your support.

AKC Canine Health Foundation Media Alert

AKC Canine Health Foundation Continues to Receive Financial Support from Breed Clubs - Rottweiler Health Foundation and Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America Contribute Toward Studies in Canine Cancers - [Tuesday, March 11, 2008]

The Rottweiler Health Foundation and the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America have both pledged a combined $100,000 from their respective Donor Advised Funds in support of canine cancers. Supporting grants ranging from canine lymphoma to histiocytosis, monies raised and donated by members and friends of both clubs will contribute toward scientific studies at research institutions that criss-cross the country and throughout the world.

“The Donor Advised Program at CHF is a great way for clubs and individuals to get involved in the great research we support,” comments Erika Werne, director of canine research and education at the AKC Canine Health Foundation. “These funds are donor directed, so clubs can put their contributions in a secure account and when research opportunities become available, donors can direct their funds to be used for this specific purpose. Our thanks to the Rottweiler Health Foundation and the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America for their continued support and for helping all our dogs live longer and stronger.”

300,000 Imported Puppies Prompt Rabies Concerns
CDC, After Declaring Canine Rabies Eradicated, Now Looks at New, Stricter Rules

Hoover - a healthy mixed breed dog - was 10 weeks old when Amy and Leif Gustavson adopted him from the Save a Sato Foundation in Puerto Rico six years ago. "He was one of the lucky ones," said Amy. "He was found in a box by the side of a busy road." The Gustavsons of Spencer, Mass., are one of an increasing number of Americans who are adopting puppies from outside the continental U.S. Thousands of stray dogs are rescued from Puerto Rica each year. (Amy Gustavson)

By SUSAN DONALDSON JAMES
Just last month the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared victory over canine rabies in the United States -- a fatal virus that kills 55,000 people a year globally.

That declaration may have been premature.

A growing demand for overseas dogs -- many from countries where the disease is endemic and the animals are too young to be vaccinated -- has put rabies back on the government's radar and caused the CDC to go to work on stricter rules aimed at imported dogs.

As many as 300,000 puppies a year are being imported, based on early estimates, according to G. Gale Galland, veternarian in the CDC's Division of Global Migration and Quarentine.

Driving the import trend is the demand for puppies, rather than older dogs that have behavioral or health issues.

The Border Puppy Task Force in California estimates that 10,000 puppies entered San Diego County from Mexico in just one year. Some only a few weeks old are sold for $1,000 each in shopping center parking lots on the street. "Most people don't think about this deadly disease," said Dr. Nina Marano, director of the regulatory unit at the CDC. "People take for granted that their dogs are not at risk."

Puppy From India Infected

Just this spring, a puppy from India got a clean bill of health from officials at Seattle Tacoma International Airport. Days later, at its destination in Alaska, the dog was diagnosed with rabies, according to Washington's Veterinary Board of Governors, which is investigating the case.

In 2004, Los Angeles saw its first case of rabies in 30 years with a puppy imported from Mexico. In Massachusetts, a dog imported from Puerto Rico -- a U.S. territory where stray dogs are rampant -- was diagnosed with the disease.

Dozens Of Animals Found Living In Deplorable Conditions In Indiana

PENN RUN, Pa. -- Humane agents in Indiana County raided a Penn Run home on Thursday, finding dozens of sick animals. Officials with the Indiana County Humane Society said the family loves its pets but didn’t have enough money to care for them.

For more than a year, the Humane Society provided free food and medical attention to the pets belonging to the Dilts family. But when the animals continued to be neglected, humane agents planned the raid. Dozens of dogs were found chained to primitive boxes. Others were found inside the home with polluted water and food bowls. Authorities said cardboard covered the urine on the home's floors.

Cats were found tied to a bedroom wall, and dozens of rabbits were huddled together in dilapidated cages. A starving cow was also discovered on the property, officials said. "Their financial situation does not allow for that many animals," said Valerie Smith of the Humane Society. The Dilts family has been charged with 30 counts of animal cruelty. "We just get fed up with everybody's accusations that we are being cruel to our animals, and we're not," said homeowner Dave Dilts. "These dogs go to the vet and everything else."

Officials with the Humane Society said the pets did go to the vet on the county's dime but were then neglected. Four pets were removed from the home right away, because they were so ill, officials said. Doctors said microscopic bacteria were attacking their insides. Since the dogs are still considered the personal property of the Dilts family, the Humane Society said they cannot adopt them out until the courts give the OK. Authorities said there are still more than 30 dogs on the property. The Humane Society is hoping a judge will allow them to take the dogs to the shelter after a hearing on April 16.

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