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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | August 20, 2013 11:02 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Kevin J. Schreiber |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Legislation Providing for the Display of Certain Information Regarding Dogs at Pet Shops |
| In the near future, I plan on introducing legislation that would require pet shops in the Commonwealth to display certain information on the cages of dogs that are offered for sale. As you may know, Act 119 of 2008 amended the Dog Law to raise the standards for dogs in breeding facilities in the state. Requirements placed on newly designated commercial kennels were intended not only to improve living conditions for these animals, but also to provide for healthier and better socialized dogs to the general public. According to a report recently issued by the Auditor General, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s Dog Law Enforcement Office failed to enforce key provisions of Act 119 of 2008, including those relative to the standards for dogs at commercial kennels. Even if these standards are more stringently enforced, dogs will still be available at pet shops from breeding facilities that many would consider less than ideal, since many pet shops also obtain their dogs from breeding facilities outside of the Commonwealth. Breeding facilities that provide dogs to pet shops typically provide little, if any, information about the health or genetic history of their dogs. As such, in an effort to provide consumers with valuable information to help them make better-informed decisions regarding the purchase of a dog, the legislation that I will be introducing would require pet shops to display information regarding the dog, including the breed, age, and date of birth of the dog, the state in which the breeder of the dog is located, breeder licensing information, and any documentation of inoculations, worming treatments, and other medical treatments. If you would like to co-sponsor this legislation, please contact Lou Takacs at 717-787-7514 or LTakacs@pahouse.net. |
Introduced as HB1759