The US Court of Appeals agreed with the US Department of Agriculture that hobby breeders should not be federally licensed and inspected and overturned a lower court decision in an animal rights lawsuit.

NAIA congratulates AKC for its hard work on behalf of the dog fancy in opposing the lawsuit and working with USDA to find and deal with substandard kennels that have avoided compliance with the Animal Welfare Act. As a result of its standing as the leading registry for purebred dogs, AKC was granted permission to file a friend of the court brief to support the USDA appeal.

The suit was filed by the Doris Day Animal League after USDA declined to make regulatory changes that would bring all dog breeders under federal oversight. Details of the court decision can be found on the AKC website, and background information is available in these NAIA articles:

AKC files 'friend of the court' brief: Appeal of DDAL lawsuit set for November

NAIA, AKC led opposition: Congress zaps phony Puppy Protection Act from Farm Bill

USDA to appeal: Court sides with DDAL interpretation of AWA