PRINTER'S NO. 415
No. 372 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY MICHLOVIC, TRELLO, ITKIN, BUXTON, WALKO, READSHAW,
MILLER, KAISER, NAILOR, BEBKO-JONES, GIGLIOTTI, BELARDI,
DEMPSEY, PESCI, SHANER, HALUSKA, BAKER, ROBINSON, JOSEPHS,
VAN HORNE, McCALL, LYNCH, WOGAN, STEELMAN, RAMOS, STABACK,
LAUGHLIN, RAYMOND, PISTELLA AND TRAVAGLIO, FEBRUARY 10, 1997
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS,
FEBRUARY 10, 1997
AN ACT
1 Providing for pet sterilization; establishing the Pet Population
2 Control Fund in the State Treasury; providing for a
3 Spay/Neuter Companion Animals license plate; establishing the
4 Pet Population Control Program; providing for financial
5 incentives for pet sterilization; and providing penalties.
6 The General Assembly finds and declares that the purposes of
7 this act are to:
8 (1) Reduce the population of unwanted and stray dogs and
9 cats by encouraging the owners of these pets to have them
10 permanently sexually sterilized, thereby reducing potential
11 threats to public health and safety posed by the growing
12 population.
13 (2) Provide financial assistance for pet sterilization.
14 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
15 hereby enacts as follows:
16 Section 1. Short title.
17 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Pet
1 Population Control Act.
2 Section 2. Definitions.
3 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
4 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
5 context clearly indicates otherwise:
6 "Department." The Treasury Department of the Commonwealth.
7 "Fund." The Pet Population Control Fund.
8 "Pet." A dog or cat.
9 "Veterinary practice." The practice of veterinary medicine
10 by a person licensed under the act of December 27, 1974
11 (P.L.995, No.326), known as the Veterinary Medicine Practice
12 Act.
13 Section 3. Pet Population Control Fund.
14 (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established a special
15 fund in the State Treasury to be known as the Pet Population
16 Control Fund, to which shall be credited all funds collected
17 under this act from the Spay/Neuter Companion Animals license
18 plate sales.
19 (b) Spay/Neuter Companion Animals license plate.--Upon
20 application to the Department of Transportation of any person,
21 accompanied by a fee of $35 which shall be in addition to the
22 annual registration fee, the Department of Transportation shall
23 issue a Spay/Neuter Companion Animals license plate for a
24 passenger car or other vehicle with a registered gross weight of
25 not more than 9,000 pounds. The Pet Population Control Fund
26 shall receive $15 of each additional fee for this plate.
27 (c) Interest.--Any interest earned by moneys in the fund
28 shall accrue to the fund.
29 (d) Requisitions.--The department shall requisition from the
30 fund all available amounts necessary to provide a reimbursement
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1 program for the sterilization of pets in this Commonwealth.
2 (e) Expenses.--As much as may be necessary of the moneys in
3 the fund may be used to pay the expenses of the department in
4 administering its duties under this act.
5 Section 4. Pet Population Control Program.
6 (a) Establishment.--The department shall establish and
7 implement the Pet Population Control Program which shall provide
8 a reimbursement program for pet owners.
9 (b) Rules and regulations.--The department may promulgate
10 rules and regulations to carry out the purposes of the act and
11 cause them to be displayed in a conspicuous location in all
12 veterinary practices, pet stores, public and private animal
13 shelters and kennels.
14 (c) Advertisement.--The Treasury Department and the
15 Department of Transportation shall advertise the reimbursement
16 program in a manner most likely to reach all pet owners. An
17 enclosure announcing the Spay/Neuter Companion Animals license
18 plate shall be included with the initial and subsequent annual
19 registration fee notices.
20 Section 5. Reimbursement of pet owners.
21 (a) Amount.--Provided sufficient moneys exist in the Pet
22 Population Control Fund, reimbursements shall be made to pet
23 owners for up to 50% of the veterinarian's fee to spay or neuter
24 a pet in an amount determined by the department, not to exceed
25 the following amounts:
26 (1) For cat neuters, $20.
27 (2) For cat spays, $35.
28 (3) For dog neuters, $40.
29 (4) For dog spays, $55.
30 (b) Procedure.--Any person submitting a pet for sexual
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1 sterilization who wishes to receive reimbursement under this act
2 shall:
3 (1) Be a resident of this Commonwealth.
4 (2) Certify in writing that he is the owner of the pet
5 or authorized by the owner to present the pet for the
6 procedure.
7 (3) Pay to the veterinary practice the fee for the
8 sterilization procedure.
9 (4) Submit an application for reimbursement to the
10 department.
11 (c) Application form.--The application form for
12 reimbursement shall include, but not be limited to, the
13 following:
14 (1) The name and address of the pet owner.
15 (2) The name and address of the veterinarian who
16 performed the sterilization procedure.
17 (3) A description of the pet as to species, breed and
18 sex.
19 (4) A brief description of the procedure performed.
20 (5) An affidavit by the veterinary practice stating that
21 the sterilization has been completed, the amount charged and
22 the name of the person who paid for the procedure.
23 (6) A copy of the receipt by the pet owner of the amount
24 paid for the procedure.
25 (7) The name of any other organization providing
26 financial assistance, in whole or in part, for the cost of
27 the sterilization procedure and the amount provided.
28 (d) Application for reimbursement.--Application for the
29 refund must be made no later than six months from the date of
30 the sterilization procedure.
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1 Section 6. Penalty.
2 (a) Offenses defined.--A person commits a misdemeanor of the
3 second degree if he knowingly:
4 (1) Furnishes the department with false information
5 concerning the actual amount paid for the sterilization
6 procedure by the pet owner or submits a fraudulent
7 application for reimbursement under this act.
8 (2) Furnishes any veterinary practice with inaccurate
9 information concerning the ownership of a pet submitted for a
10 pet sterilization procedure.
11 (b) Violation of Veterinary Medicine Practice Act.--
12 Providing false information under this act by a veterinarian
13 shall be a violation of the act of December 27, 1974 (P.L.995,
14 No.326), known as the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act, and
15 shall render the veterinarian ineligible for further
16 participation in the reimbursement program.
17 (c) Reports by department.--The department shall report all
18 violations of this act to:
19 (1) Appropriate law enforcement authorities.
20 (2) The State Board of Veterinary Medicine.
21 Section 7. Effective date.
22 This act shall take effect in 90 days.
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