PRINTER'S NO. 31
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
19
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY SCHLOSSBERG, SCHWEYER, COHEN, SCHREIBER, FRANKEL,
HENNESSEY, THOMAS, O'BRIEN, McNEILL, V. BROWN, MURT, D. COSTA
AND McCARTER, JANUARY 21, 2015
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, JANUARY 21, 2015
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 62% of all households in the United
States have a pet; and
WHEREAS, About 83.3 million dogs and about 95.6 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, There are an estimated 3,500 animal shelters across
the United States; and
WHEREAS, Approximately six million to eight million companion
animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year; and
WHEREAS, An estimated 2.7 million healthy, adoptable cats and
dogs are euthanized by shelters each year; and
WHEREAS, Nearly 750,000 dogs and cats classified as
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unadoptable are euthanized annually for reasons such as illness,
aggression and owner request; and
WHEREAS, Nationally, 20% of owned dogs and 26% of owned cats
are adopted from an animal shelter; and
WHEREAS, Twenty-five percent of dogs who enter local shelters
are purebred; and
WHEREAS, Most shelters perform health examinations and give
vaccinations to animals when they arrive, and most spay or
neuter them before being adopted; and
WHEREAS, Adopting a pet from an animal shelter is less
expensive than buying a pet at a pet store or through a breeder;
and
WHEREAS, The number of euthanized animals could be reduced
dramatically if more people adopted pets instead of buying them.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Official State Pet.
The "shelter pet" is hereby designated as the official pet of
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Section 2. Effective date.
This act shall take effect immediately.
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