News

https://www.akc.org/legislative-alerts/california-2025-legislative-session-draws-close/   October 14, 2025     Yesterday, California’s 2025 legislative session came to a close as Governor Gavin Newsom had a midnight deadline to act on bills that landed on his desk. AKC appreciates all who helped throughout the year to protect the rights of responsible dog owners; we are most successful when working together. Your actions made a difference for dogs! As was the case during the 2024 legislative session, California faced a budget shortfall, which put a brake on many legislative proposals. However, AKC had many wins during the year including seeing the defeat of a bill that would have increased onerous regulations on hobbyist dog breeders, continuance of Californians to be allowed to provide basic care on their own animals (like administering vaccines), and passage of bills expanding consumer protection on pet purchases in the state, and expanded protection to the pets of domestic violence victims, to name a few. Below are the conclusions of key bills the AKC tracked throughout the year.  AKC is in the process of finalizing a more comprehensive summary on how the new consumer protection laws and others will impact sellers and breed club rescues.  This will be sent in the near future. Bills Supported by AKC Assembly Bill 506 – Pets: sales of dogs, cats, and rabbits. Status: Signed by the governor with some AKC amendments. Summary: AB 506 expands consumer protection rights for pet buyers in the state. AKC worked extensively on the bill with stakeholders to expand consumer protection provisions so that sellers- including breeders and rescues – will be required to provide certain information regarding the dog’s health and background at the time of sale. Senate Bill 312 – Dog importation: health certificates. Status: Signed by the governor with some AKC amendments. Summary: This bill clarifies where (already required) health certificates for dogs imported for resale should be submitted, and which state agency is responsible for record-keeping.  After concerns were expressed by the AKC and club members, a provision that would have established a public website with seller and purchaser information was removed from the bill. Senate Bill 221 – Crimes: stalking Status: Signed by the governor. Summary: This bill seeks to expand what constitutes stalking to include behavior that seeks to harm or threaten a domestic violence victim’s pets, service animals, or emotional support animals. This bill strengthens California’s anti-stalking statutes. Assembly Bill 478 – Accessibility to emergency information and services: evacuations: pets. Status: Signed by the governor. Summary: AB 478 requires California cities and counties to update emergency plans to include pet rescue procedures during evacuations (such as wildfires), ensure public access to related information, and protect rescued pets from adoption or euthanasia for 30 days. Assembly Bill 631 – Animals: animal shelters: transparency. Status: Held in Senate Appropriations Committee, did not become law. Summary: This bill would have required California animal shelters to collect, regularly update, and publicly share detailed intake and outcome data for all animals, increasing transparency and accountability in shelter operations. Assembly Bill 400 – Law enforcement: police canines. Status: Vetoed by the governor. Summary: This bill was amended to require, on or before July 1, 2028, the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) to study and issue recommendations to the Legislature on the use of canines by law enforcement. The governor vetoed the measure stating in his message that the bill was redundant to existing practices. Bills Opposed by AKC: Assembly Bill 1482 – Bowie’s Law: animals: adoption, shelter overcrowding, and breeding. Status: Held in Assembly Appropriations Committee; did not advance this year. Summary: This bill, opposed by AKC, would have changed the definition of a dog breeder in California from someone who breeds three litters or transfers 20 dogs to someone who transfers two litters or 10 dogs.  AKC thanks the clubs who took the time to reach out to express concerns on this bill. Bills Monitored by AKC: Assembly Bill 519 – Pet broker sales. Status: Signed by the governor with some AKC amendments. Summary: AB 519 prohibits brokers from selling or facilitating the sale of dogs, cats, or rabbits. AKC believes that AB 506 is a better solution, which does not prohibit certain sellers, but instead expands consumer protection. However, we appreciated the amendments to allow for exemptions for dogs over 12 months, service and police dogs, along with 3 owner transfers allowed per year. Assembly Bill 1502 – Veterinary medicine: California Veterinary Medical Board Status: Signed by the governor. Summary: Currently, animal owners in California can perform certain functions on their animals such as giving vaccines or basic wound care under what’s known as the “owner exemption”—allowable under current regulations from the California Veterinary Medical Board (CVMB). This policy (and others affecting veterinarians) was considered by the California Legislature as a part of their bigger “sunset review” of various regulations of the CVMB.  AKC and local clubs reached out to lawmakers and were successful in ensuring that the CVMB will continue to allow the owner exemption to remain part of the regulations.  We will continue to closely monitor this issue area closely next year for any possible changes. Assembly Bill 867 – Veterinary medicine: cat declawing. Status: Signed by the governor with AKC-requested amendment. Summary: AB 867 as introduced restricted declawing procedures – including the removal of dewclaws—to licensed veterinarians for “therapeutic purposes” only, requiring documentation and allowing for disciplinary actions against violators. At the request of AKC, the bill was amended in the Assembly Business and Professions Committee to ensure the bill would solely apply to cat declawing and would not prevent dog dewclaw removal. Assembly Bill 793 – Potentially dangerous and vicious dogs Status: Held in Senate Appropriations Committee; did not become law this year. Summary: AB 793 revises the criteria for designating dogs as dangerous or vicious, requiring clear evidence and uniform standards across California, while prohibiting such designations if the dog was provoked or defending against an attack. Assembly Bill 516 – Registered veterinary technicians and veterinary assistants: scope of practice. Status: Signed by the governor. Summary: The bill clarifies the roles of veterinary technicians and assistants, allowing them to perform more health care services under supervision, including dental procedures, and broadens the settings in which they can operate. AKC Government Relations will continue to provide updates as these laws go into effect, and continue to watch for local issues impacting dog owners.  For questions or more information, contact AKC GR at doglaw@akc.org.

There is a couple of new Master National Proposals. Plus some attached correspondence from clubs from other regions. Plus the wording that came from the Region 4 VP Annette Pacheco. Attachments are on the bottom of note

Here is the note that was sent to all Marin Retriever Club members requesting a vote.

Please respond by September 30, with your vote for Proposal #1 Yes, or No.  Also respond with your vote for Proposal #2 Yes, or No    

Thank you in Advance for participating in this voting!

To :Region 4 Delegates and Clubs in good standing with the Master National Retriever Club.

 Summary:  Two proposed By-Law changes that would critically impact Region 4. One is to continue to hold the event and not limit it to the Region. It states it should not be in a region if the region can’t host 1,000 + entries. It should move to a region that can accept Unlimited entries – no matter what!  The second proposal is to eliminate Region 4 entirely and combine it with Region 3. 

PLEASE VOTE NO ON BOTH OF THESE PROPOSALS!

 Background: Over the last 20+ years the Master National Retriever Club has enjoyed enormous success. To state that it is a victim of its own success is an understatement. In 2006 when Marin Retriever Club hosted the event in Morgan Hill, the event had about 250 entries. By 2014 when Marin hosted again, 824 dogs qualified and 600 entered. In 2018, 1264 dogs qualified and 1020 entered. The numbers are on track to keep increasing, with over 1100 dogs entered for 2025!

 Obviously, the ability to “host” an event this large and the work that goes into putting an event together of this magnitude has also increased tenfold. Just finding a location that can host 1100 + dogs, and house the participants has become a feat in itself. Hotels; training properties; banquet halls; caterers; workers, and the list goes on and on. Additionally, the people needed to run eight or more stakes is another source of stress to the limited manpower. It is also difficult to find quality judges…not just ones who meet the set criteria, but who truly understand how to judge a National caliber event.

 The problem of too many entries for a quality event that was envisioned has been a recurring issue for over twenty years. There never has been a solution and once again we find ourselves facing the beast. This time we, as Region 4 clubs (West) face the reality that we may no longer have a home, let alone a part in the Master National Retriever Club.

 

In 2026 the event is scheduled to rotate to the west with the Umpqua Retriever Club hosting the event. The problem is that the grounds are not sufficient for an entry exceeding 840 dogs. What are the solutions? 

Current Situation : AKC allows Clubs to limit the number of entries (Ch 1 Section 3, page 4 2021 rule book).  Furthermore, Chapter Six in the rules and regulations gives the MNRC the authority to do this. The Clubs in Roseburg have chosen to use this rule for the 2026 event, as they feel that 840 dogs is the absolute maximum their properties can hold and accommodate reasonably.

 This decision has caused enormous grief and handwringing for many of the handlers, primarily the pros that run 20+ dogs. The math has been done – if the entries had been limited in 2022 to 840 dogs, it would have affected those persons running more than 13 dogs.  So, it basically would impact some of the larger pros that charge an enormous handling fee to their clients and will lose out on what has become for them their annual big payday.

 Proposal # 1: Directs the MNRC to locate suitable grounds, and if none can be found on the west coast then they have the authority to locate grounds in other regions that can accommodate the ever-increasing numbers of entries.  And NO LIMITS on the number of entries, ever. Just keep doing it whatever it takes.

 This proposal is unnecessary and already exists in the By-Laws – Section 2B “Notwithstanding the above, in the event the Board of Directors, after reasonable effort is unable to obtain a site in the prescribed region which it considers suitable for the Master National Hunting Retriever Test, the Board may select a site in another Region. In selecting such a site, care should be exercised that: (1) no site will be used in two consecutive years; and (2) returned to the prescribed system of rotation can be promptly and easily accomplished.”

 This proposal has been put forth by the North Alabama Retriever Club, and supported by several other clubs and delegates with no regard for the folks who have to find the properties and put on an event of this enormity. If you don’t have the grounds in the west, we’ll stay in the east. When does it end? 2,000 dogs? 3,000?    At what point do you say enough is enough? At what number does it become “less special” when thousands of dogs enter. I would challenge ANY of the supporters of this proposal to step up and chair an event before they try and pass this amendment. (I can attest to the enormity of this having Chaired myself TWICE). This is NOT sustainable! 

Proposal # 2 : Missouri Valley Hunt Club has taken this a step further and proposed that the organization dissolve Region 4 completely and combine Regions 3 & 4! By buying into this logic, Region 4 will be gone! Furthermore, Region 3 and 4 will lose any chance of EVER having a say in the future of the organization! ANYTHING that comes up controversially will weigh on the Region 1 (East Coast), who carries TWO votes, Region 2 (Central), who carries TWO votes to Combined Regions 3 & 4’s TWO votes. If this passes, the west coast will never see another event in either area. Period. The delegates from the East/Central will dominate every proposal (4 to2) and the west will lose out.

 Recommendation: We are strongly urging Region 4 Club members VOTE NO, through your club delegates, on both of these proposals. This voice needs to be heard from EVERYONE, or we will lose. Those persons supporting proposals 1 & 2 are very vocal. If we residents in Region 4 are not just as vocal in our opposition to these proposals, we will never see the Master National in the west, if it even survives the current turmoil.

 Footnote - You might not have ever run this event, but we still need your support! You might have an up and coming young dog, and the ability to qualify and run the event “in your back yard” when it rolls around to our Region should not be taken away from us. When my first dog qualified in 2002, I was thrilled that it would be in Eastern Oregon that year, and we were able to go because it was close and fairly affordable, not a 3-5 day drive to get there. We should all have that opportunity. Let’s not let the east coast take away our opportunity. 

Please feel free to call or write me a note if you have any questions, or would like to further discuss. 

Sincerely,

Laura Judd Marin Retriever Club Vice President  Cell 707-326-1771 Tinstarlabs@comcast.net

Julie Cairns Redwood Empire Retriever Club President, Marin Retriever Club Member

Past President MNRC

Special Note: Since Ed Ryska, Marin Retriever Club President is also our Master National Retriever Club Region 4 director. This note comes from the Vice President so that he remains neutral.

2025PROPOSED BYLAWS AMENDMENT.pdf

2025MVHC Supporting Clubs.pdf

2025MNRCProposalNoteMRCmembers.docx

We are all saddened that this opportunity has NOT worked to our favor! We will continue to look for new opportunities.

We have an extraordinary opportunity before us—one that could significantly enhance the future of the Marin Retriever Club and our ability to train and work our dogs in ideal conditions This would benefit the entire retriever community well into the future.

The duck club adjacent to the California Retriever Training Association (CRTA) property is now available for purchase. This is a rare chance to expand our accessible training grounds and protect vital retriever habitat and working space for years to come.

A generous supporter has pledged to purchase the property for us.  They would like to see as many people as possible join them in contributing to help secure this property for the Marin Retriever Club.

But we need your help to make it happen.

We must show the club’s commitment by showing a large number of members, family and friends support the new grounds.  A monetary donation by everyone will help to finalize the purchase. If each family member contributes separately, it will have a greater impact on achieving our goal.   Every contribution, no matter the size, will bring us closer to this goal.

The property was initially listed at $1,600,000. The donor wants assurance that more than just a few people will benefit from this gift. We want to show them there is a huge community that would support this endeavor!

We are a 501C3 so all contributions are tax deductible!

Now is the time! With your help, we can take this bold step - being one of the few clubs that owns its training grounds. We invite you to join us as a founding donor by contributing before August 15, 2025.

Your gift will help lay the foundation for a lasting legacy. Gifts at all levels are deeply appreciated and will be initially recognized at our September Hunt Test.

Here’s how you can contribute:

https://www.marinretrieverclub.com/Donate

In the comment section please specify For Land Aquistion.  

Please consider making a donation today. This is a one-time chance to preserve and expand our training resources in a location we all know and love.

Thank you for your ongoing support of the Marin Retriever Club. With your help, we can ensure a strong future for our members, our dogs, and the sport we are passionate about.

Laura and I would be honored to speak with you personally about the campaign and how you can be involved.

Warm regards,
Ed Ryska, President

Laura Judd, Vice President
Marin Retriever Club
Ed [707-486-0004] ed.ryska@gmail.com | Laura [707-326-1771] tinstarlabs@comcast.net

So here are the winners of the 2025 SUPER SINGLES CONTEST held on August 2nd! From left to right - Kathy Mauzy and Jackson 1st place in the intermediate division [time 42.1]; Theresa Russell and Blue, 2nd place in the beginners [time 1.22]; Bruce Hayes and Perri 1st place beginners [time 1.04] (at 4 months old!); Cindy Feldman and Cassy - 2nd place intermediate [time 44.6]; Dale Wittler and Duck - 1st place open - [time 1.28] (SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR FOR PLACEMENT!); Bud Capps and Max 3rd place intermediate [time 46.4]; Mark Berman 2nd place open [time 1.30](SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR FOR PLACEMENT!); and not pictured Laura Judd and Rookie 3rd place open [time 1.31]. Note in the open, the top 3 dogs were separated by .03 seconds - pretty AWESOME!

It is with great sorrow that we share that we have lost one of our own members, Meredith Pechoultres. She was quiet kind and thoughtful person, along with always lending a helpful hand. Her two competitive dogs will continue to be loved my her husband. However for training, her youngest dog “Chili” will continue his training under the wing of Ardith Osborn. Her older dog “Legend” will continue his training with Francis Hurley. So glad to see a team pull together.

She will be missed!

Some were forced, some think this could be a wrinkle, some think this might be the only way to lower numbers!

Master Amateur Invitational  2025  Waterville, MA     So Proud of our Club

Our Membership had several participants, that completed all 6 series. Thus walking away with a big Orange Ribbon and Crystal plate. 

Ch-Ch-Ch Cherry Bomb-handled by Rhonda Reed   

Douglas One in a Million-handled by Brook Douglas

Douglas Too Much White Lightning-handled by Brook Douglas

Additional Qualifiers:    Recognizing that trudging through close to 4000 miles, can be a bit much. Heres the list, in no particular order

Awrey’s Guns a Blazin—handled by Chris Hempel

Blue Fords Tricked Out Hot Black Hava—handled  by Rhonda Reed

CastleAu’s Sunrise Serenade at the Ryman--handled by Ardith Osborn

Favors Crocodile Rock--handled by Kerry Forni

Fernhill Panda’s Sunday Best—handled by Bruce Hayes

Fernhill Panda’s Sunday Player—handled by Bruce Hayes

Island Acres Solo’s Han—handled by Ed Wachtel

Manitou Reaching 4 the Stars—handled by Kathy Gibson

Pacific Expresso Hui Nalu’s Cuthbert—handled by Mike O’Bannon

RedMoon When Life Gives U Lemons Make Limoncello—handled by Rob Schnell

Shotgun Willie Gee—handled by John Gammon

Skyrivers Nothing but Blue Skies from Now On—handled by Debbie Mattiello

Sorry I did not catch this update sooner.  There is 6 various clarifications that are effective October 2024.  Dogs Honoring, Placement of Senior blinds, submission of club event, and more

Oct2024RHT6Clarifications2024v2.pdf

Here is the official verbiage regarding the New AKC ruling regarding the Amateur Set Aside. Plus the Professional or Amateur handling under a judge whereby there has been association within a year.

AKCRuling2025.jpg

Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation Appeals Preliminary Injunction Denial to Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Read and Share Alert Online Today, the Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation (SAF) appealed a court order denying a preliminary injunction that prohibited the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from enforcing a ban on importing puppies into the United States.   In August, CDC banned dogs under six months old and dogs without implanted microchips from entering—and in some cases, reentering—the country. Not only does this deprive sportsmen of the opportunity to purchase quality sporting breeds, but it means that they cannot return with their dogs from a field trial or hunting trip across the border.   This ban was implemented under the same statute that CDC used to suspend evictions and require masking on airplanes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Like the COVID regulations, this ban was also implemented with flimsy justifications. In this case, the ban is purportedly needed to prevent the reintroduction of rabies in the U.S. and reduce fraudulent pet importations. But the ban applies to countries that the CDC has declared rabies free, and nobody is actually checking for fraudulent entries. This is rulemaking for the sake of rulemaking.   SAF immediately sued, and asked for an injunction against the rule. After months of briefing and arguments—and an announcement from CDC that it would be reconsidering the ban—the court denied the injunction in April 2025.   “We respectfully disagree with the court’s conclusion that the law authorizes the ban, and that CDC engaged in reasoned decisionmaking,” said Michael Jean, Litigation Counsel for Sportsmen’s Alliance. “So, we’re asking the Sixth Circuit court of Appeals to reverse the denial.” Join Us Saturday for Our $21,000 CASH BASH! Hunt Wyoming's Famed Area 7 with a Commissioner's Tag! Sportsmen have been bullied long enough, and the Sportsmen’s Alliance will not allow it to happen any longer. Join us or donate to the Sportsmen’s Legal Defense Fund to help stand up against the relentless assault on our values and lifestyle. Present and future generations are depending on your willingness to fight to protect the future of hunting, fishing, and trapping.   The Sportsmen’s Alliance guarantees hunting, fishing and trapping for the American sportsman now and forever. We’re there when sportsmen need us most. We are the only organization specifically created to protect the individual hunter, angler and trapper – no matter the threat. We will never compromise when it comes to defending our way of life in the courts, in the legislatures, in the public square and at the ballot box. We make this promise to the American sportsman: we will never give up and never give in while proudly securing our future against those seeking to destroy our values, beliefs, and traditions. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. JOIN OR RENEW TODAY!