PRINTER'S NO. 515
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
521
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY SCHLOSSBERG, BERNSTINE, BIZZARRO, DONATUCCI,
GILLEN, HILL-EVANS, HOWARD, ISAACSON, KORTZ, MARKOSEK,
McNEILL, MURT, NEILSON, READSHAW AND SCHWEYER,
FEBRUARY 19, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, FEBRUARY 19, 2019
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 68% of all households in the United
States have a pet; and
WHEREAS, About 78 million dogs and about 86 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, The Humane Society of Central Texas estimates there
are 13,600 animal shelters across the United States; and
WHEREAS, Approximately 6.5 million companion animals enter
animal shelters nationwide every year; and
WHEREAS, An estimated 1.5 million healthy, adoptable cats and
dogs are euthanized by shelters each year; and
WHEREAS, Thousands of other dogs and cats are classified as
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