House sends overhaul of Pa. dog law to Senate
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A bill designed to dramatically improve conditions for dogs kept in Pennsylvania's larger commercial kennels passed the state House of Representatives yesterday and was sent to the Senate.
The House voted 181-to-17 in favor of new regulations that would increase the size of cages, require annual veterinary checkups and crack down on what critics describe as inhumane puppy mills.
A leading opponent, Rep. Bob Bastian, R-Somerset, called the bill "a triumph of extreme policy making over sensible regulation." Mr. Bastian, a veterinarian, said a number of amendments the House rejected Monday would have resulted in a more balanced bill.
The far-reaching revisions would set new standards for lighting, exercise, ventilation, air temperature and euthanasia.
They would pertain mostly to commercial kennels that provide dogs to dealers or pet shops, or that traffic in at least 60 dogs per year. Backers said it would have virtually no effect on boarding kennels, pet stores or rescue shelters.
Rep. James Casorio, D-Westmoreland, said the bill would improve life for "literally tens of thousands" of dogs in commercial kennels.
"These problems are real, they're dramatic, they're horrific," he said. "They certainly not only kill dogs, but they give Pennsylvania a black eye. We need to eliminate the problem."
Pennsylvania has hundreds of thousands of breeding dogs, said Bill Smith with Main Line Animal Rescue, a Valley Forge-based group with about 9,000 members and 500 volunteers.
He said his group would press for passage in the Senate.
"We're going to give them the benefit of the doubt," Mr. Smith said. "I'm hoping they love animals and want to do the right thing."
Also yesterday, the House voted unanimously in favor of a companion bill to prohibit owners and breeders from performing surgical techniques on their dogs. That includes tail dockings or removing dewclaws on dogs older than five days old.
Erik Arneson, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi, R-Delaware, said the Senate was likely to consider the issue before the two-year session ends in November. If not, the measure will be dead and supporters would have to reintroduce it in 2009.
Gov. Ed Rendell urged the Senate to act on the bills that he said "reflect the needs of reputable kennel owners while raising the bar for those who are concerned only with the value, and not the welfare, of the dogs they breed."
First Published September 18, 2008 12:00 am
