Members
AKC VP Sheila Goffe defends responsible breeders and the AKC’s proven record of canine care, health, and advocacy against extremist attacks.
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Last month, a small Washington DC-based news organization published an article parroting animal extremists’ false claims that the American Kennel Club puts profits over the care and well-being of animals.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The AKC is a private not-for-profit organization. We are a club of clubs and the world’s largest all-breed dog registry. We love dogs and our traditions, and we’re proud of the great things that we, our enthusiasts, our affiliates, our 4,900 clubs, and responsible breeders do every day to preserve the unique diversity of canine breeds and the well-being of all dogs—regardless of breed or mix.
We love dogs. We reject the lies and negativity of animal extremists. We know that dogs make our world a better place and we’re proud that our actions share that love with others. As part of the AKC family, here are just a few of the many things you too can be proud of:
Animal extremists push anti-breeder laws, legislation, and regulation as a way to regulate breeders out of operation—not one at a time but en masse. Their voice and their money is loud in Washington and in state legislatures, but their claims don’t hold up to the truth. They rail against AKC because AKC—together with dog lovers and enthusiasts—can stop their hateful campaigns.
Recent attacks by animal rights groups center around AKC’s opposition to harmful legislation—the so-called “Better Care for Animals,” “Goldie’s,” and “Puppy Protection” acts. Each of these flawed bills seeks to establish new statutory requirements for USDA licensees, including dog breeders. However, none of these organizations have significant experience or expertise in responsible breeding or animal husbandry. Sadly, they don’t support or understand the science, dedication, and expertise used by responsible dog breeders. Many oppose dog breeding generally, and use the pejorative and inaccurate term “puppy mill” to describe anyone who breeds dogs.
Calling responsible breeders “puppy mills” to fundraise and advance an anti-breeder legislative agenda belies a shocking and unconscionable lack of knowledge and understanding about responsible breeders. Responsible breeders care about their dogs and puppies, thoughtfully consider health and pedigree of potential parents, and produce wonderful family pets and working dogs that enrich our lives, while also preserving historic bloodlines and breeds with predictable characteristics that help future owners choose the right dog for their lifestyle.
The article cites AKC’S Washington DC lobbying profile, which at less than $200,000 annually for lobbying and less than $67,000 on candidates, is small by any measure. However, it fails to note that AKC instead prioritizes programs that directly benefit dogs and communities. It cites Open Secrets regarding a strategic AKC PAC donation to a key leader in animal policy, but fails to cite that Open Secrets revealed that groups opposing AKC matched that contribution and contributed $850,000 more in political spending. It also leaves out that groups criticizing AKC spent nearly $1.8 million on lobbying, and employed 48 lobbyists in Washington DC compared to AKC’s one.
The extremist groups pushing anti-breeder measures treat issues caused by bad actors—whom we all agree should be banned from breeding—as a norm, not the outliers they are. They would have you believe that there are few federal, state, or local laws and regulations governing dog breeders and that all dogs come from large, commercial-sized kennels that need new laws. In fact, a person who keeps more than four small mammals (hamsters, gerbils, rabbits, cats, dogs etc. combined) and breeds even a single animal that they transfer without physically meeting the new owner is subject to USDA licensing requirements designed for large-scale commercial breeders. When HSUS/HWA publicize alleged care violations, they are typically just repeating issues already documented by regulators. AKC believes the solution lies in stronger enforcement of existing laws—not creating new ones.
Although fewer than 10 percent of breeders who register with AKC breed more than six litters a year, AKC gives careful thought to our positions on canine legislation (https://www.akcgr.org/posistionstatements/) that are inclusive of all responsible breeders regardless of size. AKC seeks to ensure that canine legislation is reasonable, enforceable, and non-discriminatory, and protects the rights of responsible breeders, while ensuring that negligence and cruelty laws are fully enforced—whether in a case of one dog or one hundred.
Animal rights groups claim AKC opposes faster reporting of animal neglect. This is false. AKC has consistently urged Congress to fully fund USDA enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and supports Farm Bill language requiring inspectors to alert state authorities when a dog is in unrelieved suffering, with immediate confiscation considered. Far from opposing accountability, AKC advocates for stronger enforcement and education to ensure compliance.
The Puppy Protection Act imposes rigid, one-size-fits-all mandates better suited to commercial kennels than small home breeders. Provisions include arbitrary limits on breeding by age and size, unsafe “unfettered access” to exercise areas, and blanket temperature rules that ignore breed differences and acclimatization. Without flexibility, such standards can compromise animal care rather than improve it.
Goldie’s Act blurs the line between serious welfare violations and minor paperwork issues, undermining focus on animal care. While zero violations should be the goal, AKC believes animal well-being must remain the priority. The bill also requires inspectors to remove or destroy animals for undefined “psychological harm,” without clarity on how or by whom that would be determined.
The Better Care for Animals Act would hand enforcement power to the Department of Justice, bypassing USDA’s veterinary expertise—even though USDA and DOJ already collaborate under a 2024 Memorandum of Understanding. AKC opposes these measures because they replace expertise with overreach, risking outcomes that do not prioritize the true welfare of animals.
When you look at the facts, the story isn’t the extremists attacking AKC and dog enthusiasts, it’s really the remarkable track record that dog lovers and AKC have achieved despite overwhelming odds and vast amounts of money spent to harm them.
Love triumphs over lies.
To learn what you can do to protect and advocate for the future of our dogs visit: www.akcgr.org.
The AKC Political Action Committee Preserves, Advocates, and Cares for the future of our breeds. Visit: www.akc.org/pac to learn more.
American Kennel Club (AKC)
