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Pennsylvania House of Representatives
04/19/2024 05:51 PM
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20230&cosponId=38347
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House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: December 6, 2022 03:11 PM
From: Representative Jeanne McNeill
To: All House members
Subject: Animal Cruelty: Transporting Dogs (former HB2415)
 
The American Humane Society estimates that 100,000 dogs die every year as the result of being transported in the bed of a pickup truck by either falling out of the vehicle or being hit with debris. Additionally, elemental exposure, such as extreme heat, extreme cold, and the impact of precipitation at high speeds can severely injure dogs that are transported in an external part of a vehicle.  Furthermore, if a dog falls or is thrown from a vehicle, this could cause a serious traffic accident that puts Pennsylvania residents’ safety in jeopardy.[HJ1] 
 
To address this, I will be introducing legislation that will prohibit the transporting of dogs in an external section of a vehicle, such as a truck bed or the roof of a car.  It will only apply to public roads and will not impact farmers’ or hunters’ ability to safely transport dogs on private farmland or hunting grounds. I have also included an exception in the bill which would allow dogs to be externally transported in a secured insulated cage or container designed to safely transport animals and protect them from the elements.
 
Please join me in protecting innocent dogs from severe harm, as well as motorists in Pennsylvania who may be injured by an accident caused by a dog falling or jumping off of a car.
 
 [HJ1]Along with the American Humane Society,Opens In A New Window PennDOT also offers the following tips in preparation for a long trip with your pet:
 
Never allow pets to stick any portion of their bodies out the window. Although most dogs love to stick their heads out open windows, the wind can seriously irritate mucous membranes and blow pieces of grit or other debris into their eyes. 


Pets could also be seriously injured by objects as you drive down the road. Pets should never be transported in the bed of a pickup truck. Not only could your pet injure, or even kill himself/herself – he/she could cause an accident which may harm someone else. It is estimated that at least 100,000 dogs die in accidents each year because they were riding in truck beds. 


 Do not leash your pet inside of a truck bed even when parked to avoid strangulation hazards and because open truck beds do not provide any protection from the weather.  
 
 
https://www.penndot.pa.gov/regionaloffices/district-10/pages/details.aspx?newsid=768

Introduced as HB529