PRINTER'S NO. 3620
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
2911
Session of
2022
INTRODUCED BY BIZZARRO, McNEILL, SHUSTERMAN, ISAACSON, MADDEN,
SANCHEZ, KINSEY, SCHLOSSBERG, DELLOSO, HOWARD, KENYATTA AND
GUENST, OCTOBER 27, 2022
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS,
OCTOBER 27, 2022
AN ACT
Amending the act of December 7, 1982 (P.L.784, No.225), entitled
"An act relating to dogs, regulating the keeping of dogs;
providing for the licensing of dogs and kennels; providing
for the protection of dogs and the detention and destruction
of dogs in certain cases; regulating the sale and
transportation of dogs; declaring dogs to be personal
property and the subject of theft; providing for the
abandonment of animals; providing for the assessment of
damages done to animals; providing for payment of damages by
the Commonwealth in certain cases and the liability of the
owner or keeper of dogs for such damages; imposing powers and
duties on certain State and local officers and employees;
providing penalties; and creating a Dog Law Restricted
Account," in licenses, tags and kennels, further providing
for revocation or refusal of kennel licenses and providing
for importation or sale of dogs; and, in enforcement and
penalties, providing for whistleblower protection.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 211(a) introductory paragraph of the act
of December 7, 1982 (P.L.784, No.225), known as the Dog Law, is
amended to read:
Section 211. Revocation or refusal of kennel licenses.
(a) General powers of secretary.--The secretary shall revoke
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a kennel license, dealer license or out-of-state dealer license
if a licensee is convicted of a violation of 18 Pa.C.S. § 5511
(relating to cruelty to animals) or of substantially similar
conduct pursuant to the Animal Welfare Act (Public Law 89-544, 7
U.S.C. § 2131 et seq. ), 18 U.S.C. § 48 (relating to animal
crushing) or a cruelty law of another state. The secretary shall
not issue a kennel license, dealer license or out-of-state
dealer license to a person that has been convicted of a
violation of 18 Pa.C.S. § 5511 within the last ten years. The
secretary may revoke or refuse to issue a kennel license, dealer
license or out-of-state dealer license for any one or more of
the following reasons:
* * *
Section 2. The act is amended by adding sections to read:
Section 222. Importation or sale of dogs.
Notwithstanding the provisions of section 908, a dealer or
kennel may not import for sale, sell or offer for sale,
including a sale for research purposes, a dog bred by a person
who has received any of the following from the United States
Department of Agriculture as authorized under the Animal Welfare
Act (Public Law 89-544, 7 U.S.C. § 2131 et seq.) and its
attendant regulations :
(1) A citation for a direct or critical violation or
citations for three or more indirect or noncritical
violations during the two-year period before the procurement
of the dog.
(2) Two consecutive citations for no access to a housing
facility before the procurement of the dog.
Section 909. Whistleblower protection.
An employee of a business, nonprofit entity or government
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entity subject to this act shall be deemed to be an employee
under the act of December 12, 1986 (P.L.1559, No.169), known as
the Whistleblower Law, with regard to a good faith report of a
potential violation of this act or the Animal Welfare Act
(Public Law 89-544, 7 U.S.C. § 2131 et seq.). A business,
nonprofit entity or government entity subject to this act shall
be deemed to be an employer under the Whistleblower Law with
regard to a good faith report of a potential violation of this
act or the Animal Welfare Act.
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 180 days.
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