PRINTER'S NO. 517
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
493
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY SCHLOSSBERG, BIZZARRO, DAY, DONATUCCI, FARRY,
FRANKEL, GILLEN, McNEILL, O'BRIEN, READSHAW, SCHWEYER AND
SIMS, FEBRUARY 14, 2017
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, FEBRUARY 14, 2017
AN ACT
Designating the "shelter pet" as the official pet of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
WHEREAS, Approximately 65% of all households in the United
States have a pet; and
WHEREAS, About 78 million dogs and about 86 million cats are
owned in the United States; and
WHEREAS, The growing pet population continues to be a problem
in this Commonwealth and across the nation, placing an
increasing strain on local animal shelters; and
WHEREAS, The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Animals estimates there are 13,600 animal shelters across the
United States; and
WHEREAS, Approximately 7.6 million companion animals enter
animal shelters nationwide every year; and
WHEREAS, An estimated 2.4 million healthy, adoptable cats and
dogs are euthanized by shelters each year; and
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