American Dog Owners Association

The American Dog Owners Association (ADOA) is committed to the premise that effective public policy and legislation is essential in protecting the best interest of all dogs. To that end, the following best illustrates our position on issues that are facing responsible dog owners across the country today.

Responsible Ownership

The ADOA supports the responsible ownership of dogs. This includes proper restraint and control of one's dog(s), compliance with leash and licensing laws, proper care and the humane treatment of dogs, which includes providing adequate food, water, shelter, veterinary care, and humane treatment and training. The ADOA supports all programs that encourage responsible dog ownership.

Dangerous Dogs and Breed Specific Legislation

The ADOA strongly supports breed neutral laws that target irresponsible owners rather than any specific breed of dog. The ADOA opposes breed specific legislation, which targets the breed and not the deed. Irresponsibility of the owner is the primary cause of most dog bites and dogs running at large. Legislation to curb these problems is already in place in the majority of municipalities; however, enforcement is lax. With increased enforcement, existing laws relating to proper restraint and confinement of dogs would dramatically cut down on the majority of dog complaints. As an ADOA Recommended Best Practice, communities are encouraged to enforce the laws already on the books instead of turning to breed specific legislation (BSL).

Spay/Neuter

The ADOA strongly supports voluntary, low-cost, or free non-government controlled, spay/neuter programs for companion animals and encourages all pet owners who do not intend to breed or show their animals to spay or neuter their dogs. The ADOA opposes mandatory spay/neuter programs, which have been found to be ineffective, difficult and expensive to enforce, and disproportionately affect only the most responsible pet owners and ethical breeders, without impacting irresponsible breeders. In addition, mandatory spay/neuter programs result in the loss of funding for many spay/neuter programs and do not result in a reduction in the number of strays and unwanted dogs. As an ADOA Recommended Best Practice, communities are encouraged to reduce or eliminate barriers to spay/neuter programs.

Dog Fighting

The ADOA was founded in 1970 by Duncan Wright and 85 individuals in Detroit, Michigan to stop dog fighting and the breeding and/or training of dogs for fighting. The ADOA supports laws making participation in organized dog fights a felony.

Breeder Licensing

The ADOA opposes breeder licensing as it is ineffective and does not control careless breeding. Breeder licensing discourages responsible breeders without affecting casual, accidental or commercial breeding. It reduces the best sources of pure-bred dogs, and shifts the balance to mass-produced sources.

Dealer Licensing

Responsible breeding for the purpose of obtaining show dogs, personal pets, or to develop or enhance the quality of the breed is not a commercial enterprise and should not be treated as such.

Boarding or training kennels established to train dogs for recreation, security, or other service to people, or kennels that develop show dogs should not be required to be identified or regulated as dealers

Mandatory Microchipping

The ADOA opposes mandatory microchipping. We encourage dog owners to either tattoo, microchip or tag their dogs in order to identify their dog should it become separated from them.

Ear Cropping, Tail Docking and Dewclaw Removal

ADOA supports the position of  the Doberman Pinscher Club of America [reprinted with permission]

The DPCA strongly supports the freedom of Doberman Pinscher breeders and owners to choose to procure the cropping of the ears, tail docking, and dew claw removal of their dogs to advance the purpose of the breed and breed standard, so long as the cropping of dogs’ ears is performed by a licensed veterinarian in the state in which the surgical procedure is conducted, or under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian in states which allow that practice.