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Pennsylvania House of Representatives
04/24/2024 02:15 PM
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20230&cosponId=39262
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House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: January 11, 2023 02:55 PM
From: Representative Peter Schweyer and Rep. Jeanne McNeill
To: All House members
Subject: Dedicated Animal Cruelty Fines for Humane Officers
 
The news articles are horrifying – 55 ailing dogs removed from a property in Philadelphia, 98 animals rescued from a self-proclaimed “rescue” organization in Lebanon County, a senior Yorkie bludgeoned and broken, thrown out with the trash and barely clinging to life. These cases, investigated by dedicated humane society officers, take time, effort, and money to resolve, with survivors requiring medical care, food, and shelter. For organizations that are mainly funded by donations, every cruelty case takes its toll, exhausting finite resources.
 
For this reason, I plan to introduce legislation that would establish the Animal Cruelty Investigation Fund within the state treasury. Money in the fund would be used for animal cruelty investigations and associated costs, with individuals convicted of animal cruelty being assessed an additional $5. The fund would then be put towards financing trainings, equipment, legal support, and employment expenses for humane society police officers, in addition to covering food, shelter, and veterinary costs for rescued animals that have been victims of cruelty. The legislation aims to ease the burden on humane society officers by providing financial support to humane societies.
 
While we have made great strides in increasing animal cruelty penalties, we continue to ignore the fact that finding justice for and rehabilitating these animals takes an immense amount of time and places heavy financial stress on humane societies and their officers. As legislators, it is our duty to recognize this difficulty and offer our support. Please join me in co-sponsoring this legislation to protect and support Pennsylvania’s animal cruelty victims and those who dedicate their lives to saving them.