PRINTER'S NO. 2266
No. 1854 Session of 1995
INTRODUCED BY SERAFINI, GAMBLE, BELARDI, TRELLO, TIGUE,
YOUNGBLOOD, CARONE, HARHART AND PRESTON, JUNE 21, 1995
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS,
JUNE 21, 1995
AN ACT
1 Providing for the compiling of certain information relating to
2 the activities of public and private animal shelters, for
3 additional duties of the Attorney General and for penalties.
4 The General Assembly finds as follows:
5 (1) That there is today in this Commonwealth a serious
6 problem of dog and cat overpopulation which has consequences
7 for the public health, safety and welfare and environment.
8 (2) That, to a considerable extent, the problem is dealt
9 with by animal shelters, both public and private.
10 (3) That a principal method by which those shelters deal
11 with the problem of dog and cat overpopulation is by killing.
12 (4) That the killing of large numbers of homeless dogs
13 and cats annually raises fiscal and public health questions
14 which the General Assembly may from time to time wish to
15 address.
16 (5) That at present there are no reliable statistics of
17 how many homeless dogs and cats shelters kill annually and
18 thus no concrete data upon which the General Assembly can
1 base any legislative conclusions it may wish to make in order
2 to deal with the fiscal, public health and other issues
3 presented by the disposition of unwanted dogs and cats.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Definitions.
7 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
8 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
9 context clearly indicates otherwise:
10 "Animal shelter" and "operator of animal shelter." The term
11 includes all shelters operated in whole or in part for dogs and
12 cats and all public and private agencies, organizations and
13 associations operating animal shelters, regardless of source of
14 funds and whether for profit or not for profit.
15 "Office." The Office of Attorney General.
16 "Reported year." The calendar year for which a report is
17 made under section 2.
18 Section 2. Reporting requirements.
19 (a) Content.--All animal shelter operators shall, on an
20 annual basis, make a report to the office. This report shall
21 include all of the following:
22 (1) The number of dogs, by breed, on hand as of January
23 1 of the reported year.
24 (2) The number of dogs, by breed, on hand as of 11:59
25 p.m. on December 31 of the reported year.
26 (3) The number of cats, by breed, on hand as of January
27 1 of the reported year.
28 (4) The number of cats, by breed, on hand as of 11:59
29 p.m. on December 31 of the reported year.
30 (5) The number of dogs redeemed and not returned during
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1 the reported year.
2 (6) The number of cats redeemed and not returned during
3 the reported year.
4 (7) The number of dogs redeemed and returned during the
5 reported year.
6 (8) The number of cats redeemed and returned during the
7 reported year.
8 (9) The number of dogs adopted and not returned during
9 the reported year.
10 (10) The number of cats adopted and not returned during
11 the reported year.
12 (11) The number of dogs adopted and returned during the
13 reported year.
14 (12) The number of cats adopted and returned during the
15 reported year.
16 (13) The number of dogs killed during the reported year.
17 (14) The number of cats killed during the reported year.
18 (15) The number of dogs transferred or otherwise
19 provided to dealers and the number of dogs transferred or
20 otherwise provided to laboratories during the reported year.
21 (16) The number of cats transferred or otherwise
22 provided to dealers and the number of cats transferred or
23 otherwise provided to laboratories during the reported year.
24 (17) The number of dogs which have run away or died
25 naturally or were subject to such other disposition which
26 shall be specified.
27 (18) The number of cats which have run away or died
28 naturally or were subject to other disposition.
29 (19) The amounts of public funds and the amounts of
30 private funds and the sources thereof which are expended in
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1 support of the activities which are the subject of the
2 report.
3 (b) Method of killing.--The report shall specify the method
4 of killing and the manner of disposition of the remains.
5 (c) Form.--The office shall develop and provide a standard
6 reporting form. The form shall include a statement that the
7 maker of the report certifies it to be true and correct.
8 (d) Fee.--The office may charge a reasonable fee to cover
9 the cost of collecting and processing these reports. This fee
10 shall cover the cost of reproducing the reports and mailing them
11 to interested citizens.
12 Section 3. Compilation.
13 The office shall compile these reports on a Statewide and on
14 a county-by-county basis. Reports shall be maintained by the
15 office for at least ten years. Reports made under this act shall
16 be public records and shall be open to public inspection.
17 Section 4. Penalties.
18 (a) Failure to file.--Failure to file a report under this
19 act constitutes a summary offense punishable by a fine of $50
20 for each day of such failure to file.
21 (b) False statement.--Any person who knowingly submits a
22 false or fraudulent report or who supplies false or fraudulent
23 information in a report commits a summary offense punishable by
24 a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $2000.
25 Section 5. Rules and regulations.
26 The Office of Attorney General may promulgate rules and
27 regulations to administer and enforce this act.
28 Section 6. Effective date.
29 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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