PRINTER'S NO. 3611
No. 2447 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY SIPTROTH, SCAVELLO, BENNINGTON, BUXTON, CAPPELLI,
FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GIBBONS, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HARHAI, HARKINS,
HENNESSEY, JAMES, KULA, LEACH, MAHONEY, MARSHALL, M. O'BRIEN,
O'NEILL, PAYNE, READSHAW, SANTONI, K. SMITH, THOMAS AND
YOUNGBLOOD, APRIL 15, 2008
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS,
APRIL 15, 2008
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of December 7, 1982 (P.L.784, No.225),
2 entitled, as amended, "An act relating to dogs, regulating
3 the keeping of dogs; providing for the licensing of dogs and
4 kennels; providing for the protection of dogs and the
5 detention and destruction of dogs in certain cases;
6 regulating the sale and transportation of dogs; declaring
7 dogs to be personal property and the subject of theft;
8 providing for the abandonment of animals; providing for the
9 assessment of damages done to animals; providing for payment
10 of damages by the Commonwealth in certain cases and the
11 liability of the owner or keeper of dogs for such damages;
12 imposing powers and duties on certain State and local
13 officers and employees; providing penalties; and creating a
14 Dog Law Restricted Account," further providing for fees; and
15 providing for county dog shelter restricted accounts.
16 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
17 hereby enacts as follows:
18 Section 1. Section 201 of the act of December 7, 1982
19 (P.L.784, No.225), known as the Dog Law, amended December 11,
20 1996 (P.L.943, No.151), is amended to read:
21 Section 201. Applications for dog licenses; fees; penalties.
22 (a) General rule.--Except as provided in subsection (b), on
1 or before January 1 of each year, unless and until the
2 department promulgates regulations establishing a system of dog
3 license renewal on an annual basis throughout the calendar year,
4 the owner of any dog, three months of age or older, except as
5 hereinafter provided, shall apply to the county treasurer of his
6 respective county or an agent under section 200(a), on a form
7 prescribed by the department for a license for such dog. The
8 application and license certificate shall state the breed, sex,
9 age, color and markings of such dog, the name, address and
10 telephone number of the owner and the year of licensure. The
11 application shall be accompanied by the appropriate license fee
12 as follows:
13 (1) For each neutered male dog and for each spayed
14 female dog for which the certificate of a licensed doctor of
15 veterinary medicine or the affidavit of the owner is
16 produced, the license fee shall be $5.
17 (2) For all other male and female dogs, the license fee
18 shall be $7.
19 (3) For Pennsylvania residents 65 years of age or older
20 and persons with disabilities:
21 (i) For each neutered male dog and for each spayed
22 female dog for which the certificate of a licensed doctor
23 of veterinary medicine or the affidavit of the owner is
24 produced, the license fee shall be $3.
25 (ii) For all other male and female dogs, the license
26 fee shall be $5.
27 (4) Compensation, if collected under section 200(b),
28 shall also be paid by all applicants, regardless of age or
29 disability.
30 (b) Lifetime license.--The owner of any dog three months of
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1 age or older which has been permanently identified may apply to
2 the county treasurer of his respective county or an agent under
3 section 200(a), on a form prescribed by the department for a
4 lifetime license for such a dog. Except as otherwise provided in
5 this act, a dog which has been issued a lifetime license shall
6 be required to wear a license tag. The application and license
7 certificate shall state the breed, sex, age, color and markings
8 of such dog, the type and number of permanent identification and
9 the name, address and telephone number of the owner. The
10 application shall be accompanied by the appropriate license fee
11 as follows:
12 (1) For each neutered male dog and for each spayed
13 female dog for which the certificate of a licensed doctor of
14 veterinary medicine or the affidavit of the owner is
15 produced, the lifetime license fee shall be $30.
16 (2) For all other male and female dogs, the license fee
17 shall be $50.
18 (3) For Pennsylvania residents 65 years of age or older
19 and persons with disabilities:
20 (i) For each neutered male dog and for each spayed
21 female dog for which the certificate of a licensed doctor
22 of veterinary medicine or the affidavit of the owner is
23 produced, the license fee shall be $20.
24 (ii) For all other male and female dogs, the license
25 fee shall be $30.
26 (4) Compensation, if collected under section 200(b),
27 shall also be paid by all applicants, regardless of age or
28 disability. A dog which has been issued a lifetime license
29 prior to the effective date of this act shall not be subject
30 to fees under this subsection.
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1 (b.1) County dog shelter contribution.--A surcharge of $2.50
2 shall be added to the license fees of this section. Fifty cents
3 of this surcharge shall be maintained by the county treasurer
4 for purposes of administering the county dog shelter restricted
5 account of the county. The remaining amount shall be deposited
6 into the county dog shelter restricted account established in
7 section 1003.
8 (c) Penalty.--A person who violates this section commits a
9 summary offense and, upon conviction, shall be sentenced to pay
10 a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $300 for each
11 unlicensed dog.
12 Section 2. The act is amended by adding a section to read:
13 Section 1003. County dog shelter restricted accounts.
14 (a) Duty to establish.--Every county in this Commonwealth
15 shall establish a county dog shelter restricted account. Any
16 interest accrued on the account shall be credited to the
17 account.
18 (b) Appropriation.--The moneys and interest in a county dog
19 shelter restricted account shall be appropriated as follows:
20 (1) Semiannually the county treasurer shall pay out in
21 equal shares the balance of the account to not more than
22 three humane societies or associations for the prevention of
23 cruelty to animals, as defined in section 102, operating in
24 that county that are registered with the Bureau of Dog Law
25 Enforcement and that accepted the highest totals of dogs from
26 the county in the previous calendar year according to the
27 Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement. The Bureau of Dog Law
28 Enforcement shall provide the county treasurers with the list
29 of registered humane societies and associations semiannually.
30 (2) If there are no humane societies or associations for
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1 the prevention of cruelty to animals registered with the
2 Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement operating in the county, the
3 county treasurer shall pay out in equal shares the balance of
4 the county dog shelter restricted account to up to three
5 humane societies or associations for the prevention of
6 cruelty to animals, as defined by section 102, operating in
7 other counties and that accepted the largest number of dogs
8 from the county in the previous calendar year, according to
9 the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement.
10 (3) The county shall not place any restrictions or
11 matching fund requirements for distribution of these funds.
12 (4) The appropriations distributed from the account may
13 be used for any expenditure related to operations.
14 Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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