The American Kennel Club supports PAWS legislation because we believe it is good for dogs and aligns with our core mission of promoting the sport of purebred dogs.

The AKC has always supported enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act, and demands the high standards for AKC registered dogs through our own long-standing, rigorous inspection program. We believe that animal care standards are necessary to assure the proper care and treatment of dogs and the integrity of the breeding practices in this country.

The AKC has long held the position that too much regulation can create unnecessary burdens on breeders with no benefit to dogs. However, this is not the case with the legislation currently before the Congress.

As currently drafted, PAWS amends the Animal Welfare Act. The legislation offers a reasonable balance between addressing a changing marketplace where dogs are sold en masse over the Internet and imported from foreign countries, and protecting breeders from excessive regulation. After a detailed analysis of the legislative language, we have reached the conclusion that PAWS will adequately protect the autonomy of breeders, while enforcing reasonable industry standards for breeding and selling dogs.

The AKC supports all breeders who register their litters with us. We estimate that fewer than 4% of those currently registering litters with us may be subject
to inspections under this new bill. Further, since these 4% of our constituents have also been subject to AKC inspection, we believe that they are already maintaining standards above and beyond what is proposed in the new bill and have no cause for concern.

The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its Registry and promoting the sport of purebred dogs. As such, supporting PAWS aligns with the AKC's core mission. We're more than champion dogs - we're the dog's champion.